Serving the people of House District 58 is a responsibility I carry with deep respect for the communities, land, and resources that make Johnson and Somervell counties such special places to call home. Each month, I share updates from Austin and highlight the issues residents across our district are raising with my office.

Recently, one issue has come up again and again in conversations with constituents, local officials and community leaders: the rapid expansion of large-scale data center development in North Texas.

kAmu2>:=:6D[ C2?496CD 2?5 =@42= =6256CD E9C@F89@FE y@9?D@? 2?5 $@>6CG6== 4@F?E:6D 92G6 C2:D65 D6C:@FD BF6DE:@?D 23@FE H92E =2C86\D42=6 52E2 :?7C2DECF4EFC6 4@F=5 >62? 7@C @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D] (2E6C 4@?DF>AE:@?[ =@?8\E6C> 6=64EC:4:EJ 56>2?5[ =2?5 FD6 2?5 E96 DEC2:? @? =@42= :?7C2DECF4EFC6 2C6 ?@E 23DEC24E 4@?46C?D]k^Am

kAms2E2 46?E6CD A@H6C E96 >@56C? 5:8:E2= 64@?@>J] %96J DFAA@CE 4=@F5 4@>AFE:?8[ 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 2?5 E96 E649?@=@8J E92E 5C:G6D :?5FDEC:6D 24C@DD E96 8=@36] %6I2D’ DEC@?8 6?6C8J D64E@C 2?5 AC@\3FD:?6DD 6?G:C@?>6?E 92G6 >256 FD 2? 2EEC24E:G6 56DE:?2E:@? 7@C E649?@=@8J :?G6DE>6?E] w@H6G6C[ r9:?2 2?5 >2?J @E96C 9@DE:=6 7@C6:8? ?2E:@?D 2C6 A@DEFC:?8 E@ H:? E9:D C246 2D H6==] xE 😀 :>A6C2E:G6 E92E H6 H:? E96 px C246]k^Am

kAmqFE 2D %6I2D 4@?E:?F6D E@ 8C@H[ H6 >FDE 6?DFC6 E92E 56G6=@A>6?E 92AA6?D C6DA@?D:3=J 2?5 H:E9 2 4=62C F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 :ED =@?8\E6C> :>A24E] x? 724E[ 2 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6C AC@;64E 92D 2=C625J 7:?2=:K65 A=2?D E@ =@42E6 😕 @FC ws dg 2?5 E96C6 2C6 8C@H:?8 :?5:42E:@?D E92E 255:E:@?2= AC@;64ED 2C6 6IA=@C:?8 @FC C68:@? 2D H6==] |2?J C6D:56?ED 92G6 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C? E92E D@>6 @7 E96D6 56G6=@A>6?ED 4@F=5 >@G6 7@CH2C5 367@C6 4@>>F?:E:6D 92G6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 7F==J F?56CDE2?5 E96:C A@E6?E:2= :>A24E]k^Am

kAmu@C E96D6 C62D@?D[ =2DE H66< x D6?E 2 =6EE6C E@ v@G] vC68 p33@EE FC8:?8 E96 DE2E6 E@ 42C67F==J 6G2=F2E6 E96 =@?8\E6C> 67764ED @7 =2C86\D42=6 52E2 46?E6C 6IA2?D:@? 😕 CFC2= 2C62D 2?5 E@ 4@?D:56C 2? :>>65:2E6 A2FD6 F?E:= 2 4@>>:EE66 >256 FA @7 DE2E6 =6256CD[ =@42= @77:4:2=D[ 2?5 DF3;64E\>2EE6C 6IA6CED 92G6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 7F==J DEF5J E96 :>A24E @? @FC H2E6C DFAA=J[ t#r~% 8C:5 C6=:23:=:EJ[ =@42= :?7C2DECF4EFC6 2?5 28C:4F=EFC6] p=D@[ x 36=:6G6 E96C6 D9@F=5 36 2 4=62C A2E9H2J 7@C >2?52E@CJ AF3=:4 ?@E:46 2?5 4:E:K6? :?AFE] r@>>F?:E:6D 56D6CG6 2 G@:46 H96? >2;@C AC@;64ED >2J 27764E E96 C6D@FC46D H6 56A6?5 @? 7@C 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]k^Am

kAmpD %6I2D 4@?E:?F6D E@ 8C@H[ H6 >FDE 6?DFC6 E92E AC@8C6DD DEC6?8E96?D @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D C2E96C E92? @FEA24:?8 E96>] pD 2=H2JD[ x 2D< J@F E@ DE2J 6?82865 2?5 D92C6 J@FC E9@F89ED H:E9 >J @77:46] *@F 2C6 H6=4@>6 E@ G:D:E FD 2E “d $] |2:? $E] 😕 r=63FC?6[ @C 4@?E24E >J 5:DEC:4E @77:46 2E g`f\d_e\_bhh] |J E62> 2?5 x 2C6 2=H2JD 8=25 E@ G:D:E H:E9 J@F]k^Am

Helen Kerwin is the state representative representing District 58, which includes Johnson County.