Anti-data center petition gets necessary signatures to see Lubbock City Council
A group called Citizens of Lubbock Against Data Centers has collected over 2,670 signatures for a petition to pause data center development in Lubbock, Texas. This petition exceeds the required number and will be presented to the Lubbock City Council for consideration. The council will have 30 days to call a public hearing and potentially consider an ordinance for a moratorium, or the issue could go to a public vote.
The Citizens of Lubbock Against Data Centers group successfully gathered 2,670 signatures for a petition aimed at pausing data center development in Lubbock, Texas. This number surpasses the required 2,410 signatures, which was based on recent voter turnout. Group organizer Stephen Sanders stated they are aiming for 3,000 signatures by the deadline.
The petition will be filed with the City of Lubbock and verified by City Secretary Courtney Paz. Once deemed sufficient, it will be placed on the next regular City Council meeting agenda for acceptance. The City Council will then have 30 days to call a public hearing and consider an ordinance for a moratorium on data center development. If the council does not approve the moratorium, the issue could be placed on the next uniform election date in November or May for a public vote.
Stephen Sanders emphasized the group's desire for the community to have "enough time to make the right decision, enough time to gather information and know a little bit more about the implications of data centers and how they will affect our city, our resources, and our public health." He also noted the bipartisan support for the petition, describing it as the first time he's seen people from both sides of the political spectrum stand together since 9/11.
In addition to the city-level petition, the organization has also formally introduced a county proclamation at the county level, which aims to protect the area from unrestricted data center development.