East Texas Data Center Keeps Building Despite Abbott’s Audit
East Texas residents are concerned about the ongoing construction of a Black Mountain Power LLC data center near Leary and Red Lick in Bowie County. The project is reportedly building its own power generation and connecting to non-ERCOT grids, allowing it to circumvent Gov. Greg Abbott's recent directive for an audit of data centers connecting to the state's main electric grid. Locals express worries about environmental impacts, safety hazards, and lack of accountability.
East Texas residents are expressing alarm over the continued construction of a Black Mountain Power LLC data center near Leary and Red Lick in Bowie County, as the project appears to bypass Governor Greg Abbott's recent audit directive for data centers. In early August, Governor Abbott mandated that ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) audit all data centers in the grid's interconnection process, stating that projects failing to comply would be denied connection.
However, Dr. Jamie Davis, a Bowie County resident, highlighted a loophole: Black Mountain Power LLC's site will not connect to ERCOT, instead utilizing non-ERCOT grids like Southwest Power Pool (SSP) or Midcontinent ISO (MISO), or building its own power generation. Davis told Texas Scorecard that this allows the company to circumvent Abbott's audit, with logging and tree removal reportedly still underway as of August 7. Black Mountain Power LLC acquired 600 acres north of Leary in March, coinciding with the announcement of Project Big Pine, another large data center in Texarkana which has faced local opposition.
Residents like Davis are concerned about the negative impacts on the surrounding community, including proximity to homes and a school, potential hazmat exposure, and fire hazards, noting the limited resources of the C5 volunteer fire department. A standard permit form obtained by Davis reportedly stated that emission factors "should not be considered enforceable," raising further questions about environmental and safety plans. Black Mountain Power LLC has not commented on how Abbott's order affects its operations.