Grimes County to vote on data-center safeguards, discuss EVAPCO incentive talks
Grimes County, Texas, is voting on a resolution to implement safeguards for data center development, addressing concerns about the electric grid, water resources, and other infrastructure. A local grassroots group supports the county's acknowledgment of potential downsides but seeks more local action. The resolution also calls on state leaders to establish statewide standards for data centers.
Grimes County commissioners are scheduled to vote on a "responsible data center and associated technologies development" resolution on Wednesday, July 15. The resolution aims to establish safeguards for large-scale data center projects, protecting electric grid reliability, water resources, agricultural lands, and county infrastructure.
The proposed safeguards address key concerns, including opposing high-volume potable water cooling systems in water-constrained areas without demonstrated sustainable supply and mitigation. The grassroots organization Grimes County Citizens for Responsible Development, led by Director of Operations Marie Egyed, expressed encouragement that the county is acknowledging potential downsides of large projects, though they advocate for more direct local action rather than relying solely on state intervention.
Much of the resolution urges state leaders and regulatory agencies to mandate greater transparency from data center developers, specifically requiring public disclosure and independent evaluation of projected electric and water demands, cooling technologies, and potential impacts on local infrastructure. It also calls for the governor and the Texas Legislature to create statewide standards for grid reliability, water conservation, and environmental stewardship for large data centers, advocating for closed-loop cooling systems when feasible.
Additionally, the Commissioners Court plans to enter executive session to discuss an incentive offer for a proposed $60 million manufacturing project by EVAPCO in the Navasota Industrial Park, with a public hearing on a potential tax abatement for EVAPCO scheduled for August 5. The county recently approved a tax abatement for SpaceX's Terafab project.