A rare bipartisan coalition takes aim at Texas data centers, urging Abbott to call a special session
Opponents of data centers, including the Texas Farmers Union, are urging Governor Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session to enact a statewide moratorium on all data center development in Texas. The primary concern is the state's dwindling water resources, which is already impacting farms. Critics argue that Governor Abbott's recent shifts in attitude toward data centers are merely political pandering.
Clayton Tucker, secretary of the Texas Farmers Union and a resident of Lampasas, is leading a call for a complete moratorium on all data center construction in Texas. Speaking outside the governor's office, Tucker emphasized that his organization is one of the few farm groups advocating for such a ban, citing severe water scarcity across the state that has led to the loss of farms for years.
Tucker directly addressed Governor Greg Abbott, noting that while there might be a perceived shift in the governor's stance on data centers, he believes it amounts to "political pandering." He stressed that all Texans share fundamental desires for their way of life, which he believes is gravely threatened by data centers and artificial intelligence technologies.
The Houston Chronicle reported that a bipartisan coalition of data center opponents is increasing pressure on Governor Abbott to convene a special session for lawmakers to address and potentially curb these projects, which have stirred significant controversy in rural communities.