Lubbock residents voice concerns over data centers during city council meeting
Lubbock residents voiced significant concerns over proposed data center developments during a city council meeting, primarily focusing on potential water and electricity usage. While city leadership emphasized no current proposals, a hypothetical presentation on data center needs sparked strong public and council member opposition. State Representative Carl Tepper, however, advocates for welcoming data centers, citing economic benefits.
Lubbock City Council and city staff recently held a public hearing to receive citizen feedback regarding large-scale data centers. City Manager Jared Atkinson highlighted findings from a survey of over 1500 people, where top concerns were water and electricity usage. Assistant City Manager Erik presented hypothetical figures on water and electricity consumption if a data center were built in the city.
During the meeting, Councilwoman Christine Martinez Garcia expressed concerns that industrial districts, particularly in districts one and two, which already house many industrial companies, would likely be targeted for data center development, adding to existing burdens. Public comments largely ranged from concern to frustration, with residents questioning the economic benefits for average citizens and raising alarms about the impacts of large-scale AI data centers, particularly on lower-income communities on the east side of town.
In contrast, State Representative Carl Tepper voiced strong support for data centers, considering the public reaction to be