Hill County Commissioners rescind data center moratorium after lawsuit

Hill County Commissioners in Texas have voted to lift a previously enacted one-year moratorium on data center development, a decision that has sparked significant disappointment among local residents.

The moratorium, initially put in place on May 12th, was rescinded following a $100 million lawsuit filed by RCM Hill, a data center company. The lawsuit contended that the moratorium was illegal under state law and that officials were aware of this before their vote. A commissioner stated their 'yes' vote was to protect the citizens of Hill County from further significant liability.

Resident Victoria Cartagena, who attended the meeting, expressed her relief would have been considerable had the moratorium remained, citing previous relocation due to wind turbines and concerns about her new home's proximity to the Abbott Holding Data Center. Addilee Strickland, president of the Abbott Volunteer Fire Department, voiced fears regarding the Abbott Holding Data Center's proximity to a school, downtown residents, and the I-35 corridor, noting the volunteer department's limited capacity to handle a major data center fire.

Despite the commissioners' decision, Cartagena acknowledged their difficult position, stating, "I think they were stuck between a rock and a hard place." The lifting of the moratorium allows data center development, including the Abbott Holding Data Center, to proceed.