Calm the panic on data centers. Make the boom work for Texas, Fort Worth | Opinion

An opinion piece from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board addresses the growing "panic" surrounding data center construction in Texas, including concerns over water and electricity consumption, tax incentives, and potential obsolescence. While acknowledging community anxieties, the board urges state and local leaders to avoid "knee-jerk populist reactions" like sweeping moratoriums, arguing such actions would impede economic development. The editorial suggests that proper management could enable data centers to flourish without catastrophic environmental impacts or community disruption, and could even help Fort Worth alleviate its property-tax imbalance. It notes that state-level action may be necessary to prevent inconsistent local regulations from disadvantaging communities. State Rep. David Cook of Mansfield is cited for his support of specific-use permits to ensure projects fit their surroundings and allow for public input, a point highlighted by backlash to a proposed data center in Hood County. Further, the board advocates for a reevaluation of tax incentives, pointing to a $1.3 billion increase in sales tax breaks over a decade and calling for better long-term deals. It asserts that water and power concerns are "solvable engineering problems," pushing developers to adopt water-minimizing cooling systems and build their own power generation. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker suggests requiring developers to plan for obsolescence, potentially through a redevelopment fund, while City Manager Jay Chapa emphasizes the potential for data centers to generate significant property-tax revenue.