Residents sue Guadalupe County over data center proposals
Residents in Guadalupe County, Texas, are suing the county over its approval of tax incentives and project plans for multiple large data centers. They allege the county violated state laws, including the Texas Open Meetings Act, by making decisions without sufficient public transparency. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the county's actions, citing concerns about environmental impacts, utility rates, and land use.
Residents in Guadalupe County, Texas, have filed a lawsuit against the county, challenging its decision to approve tax incentives and project plans for several large data centers. The plaintiffs contend that the county's approval process was illegal, specifically alleging violations of the Texas tax code, state conflict of interest laws, and the Texas Open Meetings Act. They claim that county officials made critical decisions behind closed doors, lacking proper public transparency.
The proposed data centers would occupy over 1,700 acres of rural land, and the lawsuit highlights that new on-site power plants required for these facilities would cost taxpayers approximately $150 million in property tax incentives. Local residents have expressed significant worries about the potential impact on their community, citing concerns about the food supply, water resources, electricity rates, air and sound pollution, and electromagnetic frequencies. The lawsuit seeks non-monetary relief, aiming to invalidate and halt the county's actions. Due to the pending litigation, Guadalupe County officials have declined to comment on the matter.