Bell County Postpones Removing Data Centers From Tax Abatements
Bell County Commissioners Court postponed changes to tax abatements for data centers, citing a need to retain leverage for project oversight. Citizens expressed strong opposition and called for a moratorium on data center construction due to concerns about rapid growth. The court urged state lawmakers to grant counties more authority to regulate large commercial projects like data centers.
Bell County Commissioners Court recently deferred a decision on altering tax abatements for data center construction. County officials, including Judge David Blackburn, argued that removing these abatements would strip the county of its only leverage to impose regulations on new data center projects, potentially leading to uncontrolled development.
During a recent meeting, residents expressed strong opposition, urging the court to enact a moratorium on data center construction due to concerns about rapid growth and potential environmental and public health impacts in Central Texas. State Representative Hillary Hickland (R-Belton) also echoed these frustrations on social media.
The Commissioners Court is advocating for state lawmakers to grant counties greater authority over large commercial developments, specifically data centers, to enable them to mandate companies cover electric infrastructure costs, alleviate residential energy burdens, enhance grid capacity, and implement water-efficient designs. The Texas House Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on data center issues on June 23.