Abbott says two San Antonio data centers will comply with new standards
Governor Greg Abbott announced that Vantage, the company building two data centers with on-site natural gas power plants in San Antonio, will comply with new state standards. This announcement follows opposition from environmental groups and homeowners concerned about air pollution, who were preparing for a public hearing that was abruptly canceled. Opponents argue the new standards won't adequately protect them from pollution.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that Vantage, the company constructing two data centers on San Antonio's far west side, has agreed to comply with new state standards for data center projects. These facilities include on-site natural gas power plants and dozens of diesel generators.
The announcement comes amidst strong opposition from local homeowners and environmental groups, including Public Citizen and the Sierra Club. Opponents have raised concerns about air pollution from the power plants and criticized the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for allowing Vantage to proceed with less stringent permits that do not require extensive public engagement or pollution controls.
A public hearing, which was intended to provide a platform for these concerns, was abruptly canceled the day before Governor Abbott's announcement. TCEQ stated that the meeting would be rescheduled due to high public interest. Governor Abbott's new standards, referred to as "guardrails," were established last week following a state-wide "pause" on data center projects, initially appearing to exclude projects with their own power stations. Critics maintain that these standards may not provide sufficient protection against air pollution, and fear construction could be complete before the rescheduled public hearing.