James Talarico raises concerns about San Antonio storm warnings, FEMA and data centers
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico criticized proposed data center projects on San Antonio's Far West Side, citing concerns about electricity costs, water supplies, and noise. Talarico called for data center companies to be required to pay for their energy, recycle water, and gain community consent. He also accused his opponent, Ken Paxton, of being influenced by campaign contributions from the data center industry.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico voiced concerns about federal disaster relief efforts in Kerrville, Texas, after two years of flooding, during an interview with FOX San Antonio's Yami Virgin. Talarico blamed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for what he described as an inadequate response, emphasizing the need for federal resources to rebuild and prepare for future disasters in the Hill Country.
The conversation then shifted to a recent storm in San Antonio, with Talarico questioning whether federal cuts also impacted the warnings residents received from the National Weather Service. FOX San Antonio has since filed a federal records request to investigate staffing and warning timing at the National Weather Service.
Talarico strongly criticized two proposed data center projects on San Antonio's Far West Side, located near Rogers Road and State Highway 151, and Potranco Road and State Highway 211. He highlighted residents' concerns about the data centers' potential effects on electricity costs, water supplies, noise, and surrounding neighborhoods. Talarico advocated for policies that would require data center operators to pay for their energy consumption, recycle water, and obtain community consent before construction.
He further accused his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, of receiving nearly half a million dollars from the data center industry, implying Paxton is