Commissioner Miller: Abbott’s Data Center Directive Is No Moratorium—Call a Special Session Now
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller criticized Governor Greg Abbott's directive on data center scrutiny as insufficient, deeming it a "filter" rather than a "brake." Miller called for an immediate special session of the Texas Legislature to enact a moratorium and establish strong statewide protections for water, the electric grid, and private property rights. He argued that the current directive lacks the legislative teeth needed to address the impacts of hyperscale data centers.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller voiced strong criticism against Governor Greg Abbott's recent directive aimed at scrutinizing new data center projects across the state. Miller welcomed the Governor's attention to the issue but described the directive as "vague" and "more of a filter than a brake," asserting it falls short of the immediate moratorium that he and other Texans have demanded. He emphasized that while the directive might alter project review processes, it does not halt development.
Commissioner Miller renewed his urgent call for Governor Abbott to convene a special session of the Texas Legislature. The objective of such a session would be to implement enforceable legislative actions to protect Texas's water resources, stabilize its electric grid, safeguard private property rights, preserve the agricultural economy, support rural communities, and protect taxpayers and ratepayers from the financial burdens of data center infrastructure. Miller highlighted the billions of taxpayer dollars at stake due to state sales-tax exemptions and property-tax abatements, as well as the significant costs of building water and electric infrastructure, which could be passed on to Texans.
The Commissioner referenced recent Senate hearings where the "data center lobby" and affected citizens presented their cases, concluding that the public's message was a clear demand for "meaningful guardrails." Miller urged the Governor to prioritize this issue, noting Abbott's previous use of special sessions for other matters. He stressed that without legislative action, the directive remains "empty political rhetoric" and that "laws with teeth" are necessary to prevent hyperscale data center projects from continuing unchecked.