As data centers pop up around Texas, a rural county has asked the state attorney general to clarify how much authority local officials have to control their construction.
Hood County commissioners have held two votes on imposing a moratorium on data center construction, responding to pressure from residents but turning it down both times. Local officials said they aren’t sure such a ban would be legal, while the developer at the center of the debate said the site is designed to minimize the effects on the surrounding area.
An opinion from the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) would help clarify the county’s authority, although it may not apply statewide. And it’s unlikely to soothe the tensions between developers who are building to suit the fast-growing artificial intelligence industry and landowners who are worried about noise and water use.
“You cannot live without water,” said Amy Flynt, who lives near one of the proposed data centers in Hood County and is part of the community group Protect the Paluxy Valley.
