Regulators approve 3,000-acre Amazon data center in Wharton County
Regulators issued groundwater permits for Amazon’s 3,000-acre data center campus near Boling in Wharton County, despite ongoing opposition from residents concerned about water supplies. Gov. Greg Abbott has directed state regulators to halt further data center permits pending audits and imposed requirements involving water reuse, electricity infrastructure costs and regulatory compliance.
Amazon is developing a 3,000-acre data center campus outside Boling, about 10 miles southeast of Wharton, with 10 to 13 buildings and at least 300 planned full-time jobs. The Coastal Bend Groundwater Conservation District issued permits allowing the company to draw groundwater for restrooms, construction and fire protection, while additional water supplies would be needed for other campus operations.
Wharton County residents and neighboring county officials have opposed the project over concerns about rural water scarcity and the lack of county authority to regulate data center growth. Amazon says the planned facilities will not use groundwater for cooling, potable water use will be limited, and the company is funding water replenishment and irrigation-efficiency projects.
Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state audits of data center companies and directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt permit approvals until the audits are completed. His directives require companies to pay for their electric infrastructure, reuse water and comply with water-use reporting requirements; Amazon says it will comply and is building responsibly in Wharton County.