Gina Hinojosa slams Texas data center policies in El Paso visit

Democratic candidate for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa made a campaign stop in El Paso, using the opportunity to criticize Governor Greg Abbott's data center policies. Speaking outside the El Paso County Courthouse on August 31, Hinojosa argued that Abbott's policies unfairly favor large corporations like Meta over the interests of everyday Texans, particularly regarding a "data center fight" in El Paso. She highlighted community concerns about water usage, electricity demands, noise, and emissions pollution from data centers, as well as the impact of municipal tax breaks that she believes undercut public welfare. Hinojosa reiterated her call for a special legislative session to establish long-term regulations for future data center development across the state.

Crystal Martinez, a Hinojosa supporter, reinforced these concerns, particularly from a public health perspective, noting the potential for gas plants associated with data centers to emit toxic gases harmful to individuals with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Martinez also stressed the importance of water conservation in El Paso, calling it a finite resource.

Hinojosa challenged Governor Abbott's claim of having paused data center development, stating that his moratorium on new grid connections is only temporary and set to expire on November 4. She vowed that if elected, her administration would review contracts impacting El Paso's water supply. The article notes that under Abbott's tenure, Texas has seen hundreds of data centers, with many more planned. While Abbott enacted a temporary moratorium, former President Donald Trump has publicly criticized such restrictions, arguing they could economically harm states, putting him at odds with some within his own party, including Governor Abbott.