Today on Texas Standard: Abbott calls for new oversight on Texas data centers
Governor Greg Abbott is proposing new regulations for the data center sector in Texas. These recommendations include water-use standards, reporting requirements, and changes to tax incentives, driven by concerns over power demand and local impacts.
Gov. Greg Abbott is proposing new regulations for Texas's rapidly growing data center sector, a move that signals a shift from the state's previous efforts to court the AI industry. The recommendations include establishing water-use standards, implementing new reporting requirements for data center operations, and modifying existing tax incentives. These proposals are driven by increasing concerns over the significant power demand and local environmental impacts associated with data center development within the state. Alejandra Martinez, who covers the environment for the Texas Tribune, provides further insights on the matter.