Texas county passes 1-year data center construction ban

Hill County, Texas, located southwest of Dallas, has passed a yearlong moratorium on data center and power plant construction in its unincorporated areas, marking what may be the state's first county-level ban of its kind. The Commissioners Court voted 3-2 on Tuesday to enact the ban, responding to the planned development of as many as eight data centers, many of which could include their own power plants. County Judge Shane Brassell, a Republican who chairs the commission and voted for the ban, stated that his constituents were "literally begging for help right now" and that the moratorium was the only available mechanism. The measure aims to provide lawmakers with time to mitigate the impacts of rapid development sweeping across rural regions. The article highlights a broader trend of spreading opposition to data centers in both Democratic and Republican-led areas, as politicians navigate economic development interests against the concerns of increasingly vocal landowners seeking protections. Examples from other states include a Missouri town ousting incumbents over a data center approval and North Carolina Governor Josh Stein (D) raising concerns about sales tax exemptions for data centers costing the state up to $57 million annually.