What data center laws do Tarrant officials, residents want to see from Texas Legislature?
Tarrant County Commissioner Matt Krause, Fort Worth Council member Elizabeth Beck and Public Citizen Texas director Adrian Shelley discussed how Texas should regulate data centers at the Fort Worth Report Growth Summit. They debated local control, tax incentives, public notification and whether cities should act before the Legislature establishes statewide rules, while residents and officials continue to criticize the proposed Circle T data center near Westlake and Keller.
Tarrant County Commissioner Matt Krause, Fort Worth City Council member Elizabeth Beck and Public Citizen Texas director Adrian Shelley urged lawmakers to clarify the division between state and local authority over data center development. Beck supported local control and questioned Fort Worth incentives for data centers, while Krause favored a wait-and-see approach until the Texas Legislature acts. State-level responsibilities discussed included water planning, air quality, energy and sales taxes.
The panel also addressed opposition to the proposed Circle T data center in Westlake, near Keller. Beck said state law should require notification for all residents affected by a project, including those living across municipal boundaries, while Shelley called for transparency from developers and opposed local officials signing nondisclosure agreements. Panelists also discussed county resolutions, proposed moratoriums and bans, and calls to eliminate data center tax abatements.