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2h ago

Texas Moves to Curb Data‑Center Growth After Poll Shows Voter Opposition

Gaps in industry data on water and electricity use are pushing officials to pursue tighter oversight, tax reform, new reporting requirements, utility rule changes

Construction continues on the Meta Platforms data center complex on a 1,000-acre site in far Northeast El Paso, near the Texas-New Mexico state line, as seen March 12, 2026.
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A member of the public wears a “Don’t data center my Texas” pin on the back of their hat while waiting for the Natural Resource Committee to convene on June 23, 2026.

Overview

  • The University of Texas poll, published June 23, found 56% of Texans oppose building data centers in their communities with opposition strongest in rural areas.
  • Gov. Greg Abbott has urged regulators to stop data centers from shifting electric infrastructure costs to ratepayers and has called for repeal of a sales tax exemption for the industry.
  • State agencies and lawmakers say they lack reliable data because most operators did not answer surveys: the PUC got responses covering 92 facilities and the Water Board reported a 17% response rate from 341 sites.
  • Hundreds of residents testified at a June legislative hearing, pressing for limits on water use and more local control while invited industry representatives largely declined to appear.
  • Policy changes now being discussed include mandatory reporting, requirements for low‑water cooling systems, utility tariff rules to prevent cost shifting, and possible legal or legislative moves to give counties more say.