Lubbock group seeks signatures to pause data center development
A group in Lubbock, Texas is gathering signatures to propose an 18-month moratorium on data center development within the city. Residents are concerned about the impact on local electricity and water supplies. The group aims to give city officials time to develop a comprehensive plan for data center integration.
In Lubbock, Texas, a local advocacy group, Citizens of Lubbock Against Data Centers, is actively collecting signatures for a petition to enact an 18-month moratorium on data center development within city limits.
Stephen Sanders, a key figure in the group, expressed concerns about the potential strain on local electricity and water supplies, emphasizing that the issue is non-partisan and affects all residents. The group aims to give the Lubbock City Council and Mayor adequate time to develop a comprehensive plan for data center integration.
While acknowledging that entities like Texas Tech Chancellor Brandon Creighton advocate for Lubbock to be an innovator in the AI race, Sanders argues that the city already has numerous data centers in Texas, suggesting further development locally is not immediately necessary. The group maintains its stance is not against technology or economic development but rather a call for thoughtful planning to protect residents. The deadline for collecting enough signatures is July 28th to formally propose the pause on development.
Main concerns include electricity and local water supply, which remain top of mind for the opposing citizens.