Texas Rancher Voices Concerns Over Data Center Impact on Rural Resources
A Texas rancher writes an opinion piece criticizing Governor Greg Abbott's data center policies, arguing they exacerbate issues like drought and strain on power and water supplies in rural areas. The author highlights the negative impact of current policies on rural Texans and suggests legislative action to protect local resources. He also expresses skepticism about voter accountability.
Steven Dickerson, a cattle and hay rancher from Anderson County, East Texas, penned an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle, criticizing Governor Greg Abbott's administration for its policies that, he argues, hurt rural Texans. Dickerson specifically targets the proliferation of data centers in Texas, noting the state already hosts 335 with 248 more projected, enabled by Abbott's tax abatements and pro-business stance. He connects data center growth to existing strains on water and power supplies, exacerbating issues like ongoing drought conditions impacting his ranch.
Dickerson also highlights the broader struggles of rural Texans, citing a "water war" where a wealthy Dallas investor is extracting billions of gallons of water for export, a situation he believes requires the Texas legislature to clarify the Texas Water Code. He contrasts Abbott's past support for data centers with a recent shift to propose an "audit" as a response to growing rural discontent. The author references former President Trump's strong support for data centers, facetiously suggesting Trump build one next to Mar-a-Lago to demonstrate his conviction. Dickerson expresses skepticism that rural voters will hold Abbott accountable for these issues in upcoming elections, despite past power outages and the "big freeze" event.