Data centers have become a hot-button issue in Texas, including the massive Stargate Oracle AI data center campus in Abilene. Closer to Fort Worth, a developer is threatening to sue Hood County if they don’t approve a data center project. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Brandon Bell
Getty Images
The developer of the proposed Comanche Circle data center campus near Dinosaur Valley State Park is threatening legal action if Hood County commissioners don’t allow construction to go forward.
The commissioner’s court will take up the Comanche Circle request during a public hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The request from Ryan Hughes, principal partner of Florida-based Sailfish Investors, comes after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a directive requiring data center projects to undergo audits of power generation and water use before projects can move forward.
Joanne Carcamo, a co-founder of the grassroots nonprofit Protect the Paluxy Valley, said Monday, Oct. 12 that if commissioners approve the plans for Comanche Circle, Protect the Paluxy will take “immediate legal action.”
“There are proposals for nine data centers in Hood County. If they(commissioners) allow Hughes to do this, they would have to allow all of the data centers. This is why this is so huge,” Carcamo said.
Hughes did not respond to a text message Monday afternoon seeking comment.
However, the meeting agenda packet included an Oct. 1 email sent to Hood County attorney Matt Mills, which was also copied to Precinct 1 commissioner Kevin Andrews.
In the email, Hughes wrote that if commissioners approve the development plan for Comanche Circle, he is willing to make concessions, such as shrinking the size of the project to 1,375 acres. Hughes also said he would accept voluntary restrictions in terms of setbacks, cooling systems, light pollution and county road damage.
Hughes said if commissioners don’t agree to settle, he would sue Hood County and build on an 83% larger footprint without development restrictions.
Hughes added that the county would face millions of dollars in damages and a bigger data center.
Hughes argued that if Hood County is opposed to all data centers, then that would result in an “illegal de facto moratorium.”
In June, NRG Energy withdrew an application to build a gas power plant to fuel the proposed Comanche Circle Data Center complex.
In August, Gov. Abbott announced that he is endorsing Comanche Circle as it will comply with the directives he issued earlier this summer requiring data centers to follow guidelines, including water conservation and protecting the electric grid.
Hughes also wrote in his email, “you’d find yourself on the side of Bernie and AOC instead of President Trump.
Please, let’s just make a deal,” he said.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.