Data center concerns dominate Laredo city council meeting
A Laredo City Council meeting discussing data centers ended abruptly, leaving many residents unable to speak. Concerns focused on water usage during a Stage 3 drought and the potential lack of economic benefits for local families. A council member supports a moratorium on data center applications to allow the city to develop proper regulations, and further community discussions are planned.
Residents of Laredo, Texas, voiced strong opposition to prospective data center developments during a Laredo City Council meeting that concluded abruptly due to time constraints, preventing some of the 64 registered speakers from addressing the council. The primary concern among speakers was the substantial water consumption of data centers, especially critical given Laredo's current Stage 3 drought and its reliance on the Rio Grande as its sole water source. Residents, including Kelly Barrera and Ana Vara, expressed anxiety over potential water shortages and questioned the economic benefits for working families, suggesting such projects would primarily serve corporations.
District 6 council member Dr. Tyler King advocated for a moratorium—a temporary pause on data center applications—to allow the city to develop comprehensive regulations, noting that the current land development code lacks a definition for data centers. The council did not reach a vote on the issue during the nearly five-hour meeting. Mayor Victor Treviño is scheduled to hold a press conference on data center regulations, and the city plans community town halls to provide more opportunities for public input.