McLennan County likely won't follow Hill County's lead on data center moratorium
McLennan County commissioners are unlikely to enact a data center construction moratorium, citing a lack of legal basis, despite a similar ban recently passed in neighboring Hill County. Meanwhile, residents in the Ross, Lacy Lakeview, and Elm Mott areas of McLennan County are actively opposing a proposed $10 billion Infrakey data center project. Hill County's one-year ban on rural data center construction, passed with a 3-2 vote, faces questions regarding its legality.
The Waco Tribune-Herald reports that McLennan County, Texas, commissioners are unlikely to impose a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, unlike neighboring Hill County which recently enacted such a ban. County officials stated that a ban would lack a legal basis and could lead to state-level issues.
Meanwhile, residents in McLennan County's Ross community, including the Lacy Lakeview and Elm Mott areas, have expressed strong opposition to a proposed $10 billion data center project by Infrakey. A recent public meeting saw over 200 attendees voice concerns about the development.
In Hill County, commissioners voted 3-2 to ban data center construction in rural areas for one year, a decision whose legality remains uncertain, though County Judge Shane Brassell noted public support for the measure. Construction continues on a CyrusOne data center in nearby Bosque County, close to the Hill County line.