LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Democrat running for Congress said Tuesday that large-scale data centers drain West Texas communities of water, electricity and tax revenue without returning enough to the region.
Kyle Rable, who spoke at a public hearing on the issue, said the projects are harmful despite the jobs they may bring.
“I think one of the biggest issues is data centers are extractive,” Rable said. “I’m all for jobs and we need more jobs in West Texas but at the cost of what? They get to run rampant, they get tax breaks, they don’t pay into the system, they get to take our water, they get to use our electricity grid… but they don’t really pay back into what West Texas needs.”
Rable’s comments come as data centers have become a statewide flashpoint. Gov. Greg Abbott has proposed a ban on data centers in rural neighborhoods. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has called on the governor to convene a special session, arguing the projects threaten rural communities, water supplies and the electric grid.
Republican state Rep. Carl Tepper has taken the opposite view, saying concerns are overblown and that with reasonable safeguards and planning, data centers could help fund schools, parks and public hospitals.
Lubbock City Council members said they want to explore the possibilities before putting any policy on paper. City staff have outlined several options, including sound studies, extra easements and special permits inside city limits.
Mayor Mark McBrayer said no data center developers are currently courting the city. He said any interested parties are in discussions with the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance — not the city government.
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