Denton community members invited to unite against AI data centers at political groups’ town hall
Community groups in Denton, Texas, are organizing a town hall to oppose new AI data centers, citing concerns about massive electricity and water consumption, noise, and environmental impact. The Denton City Council plans to discuss a proposed moratorium on data center development in August, following pushes from local officials and activists. Separately, Governor Greg Abbott has directed state utility regulators to protect residential ratepayers from data center expansion costs and is planning legislative action.
Community members in Denton, Texas, are mobilizing against the proliferation of AI data centers and a proposed AI drone factory. Local organizations DSA Denton and Revolutionary Front are hosting a town hall on July 16 at Emily Fowler Central Library to discuss the impacts of these developments and advocate for a moratorium or ban.
The town hall is driven by concerns over the substantial resource demands of data centers, specifically highlighting that the Core Scientific and QumulusAI facilities, once completed, will require enough power from the ERCOT grid to supply 8.5 DFW International Airports or 82,000 homes. Critics also point to issues like noise pollution from generators, significant freshwater usage for cooling, and increased CO2 emissions that could undermine Denton's sustainability efforts. The Denton City Council is slated to discuss a proposed moratorium on AI data centers in August, an idea supported by Mayor Pro Tem Nick Stevens and newly elected Mayor Chris Watts, following a recent surge in data center proposals.
At the state level, Governor Greg Abbott, while previously supportive of data center growth, has recently taken steps to address their impact. He directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to implement measures protecting residential ratepayers from data center expansion costs by requiring data centers to cover their own electric infrastructure expenses. Abbott also announced plans to work with the Legislature on repealing sales tax exemptions and other incentives for data centers, emphasizing that these facilities must reduce costs for residential customers, not deplete water resources, and consider community needs.