(TNS) \u2014 Another small\u00a0Texas\u00a0town has joined the growing number of communities considering action as data centers expand across the region and draw scrutiny from lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Leaders in\u00a0Lockhart, 30 miles south of\u00a0Austin\u00a0and the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” have directed city staff to develop “very strict standards” for the resource-heavy developments after\u00a0City Council\u00a0members said an outright ban, while preferred, could expose the city to legal challenges.<\/p>\n
“I would prefer an outright ban, but I don’t know that it’s the best choice for us because of the possibility of years and years of litigation and excessive expense for the city,” District 1 Councilmember Juan Mendoza said in a specially called meeting Thursday. “What I would like to see what the city can come up with as far as guardrails \u2014 very strong guardrails that make it almost impossible for any of these centers to want to come into\u00a0Lockhart.”<\/p>\n
The decision comes after widespread community uproar over the growth of data centers in the region.<\/p>\n
At least five data centers are planned or under construction in\u00a0Caldwell County, though all are outside\u00a0Lockhart. City officials have not yet approved any within the city limits. The county, with an estimated population of 55,150, is experiencing many of the same growth pressures as\u00a0Austin’s\u00a0other suburbs.\u00a0Lockhart\u00a0has about 18,100 residents.<\/p>\n
“We are the county seat for\u00a0Caldwell County, so it’s up to us to lead by example,”\u00a0Lockhart\u00a0resident\u00a0Jes\u00fas Pantel\u00a0told council Thursday.<\/p>\n
Data center worries<\/p>\n
Lockhart\u00a0joins several local governments studying the potential impacts of data centers and seeking to slow the industry’s growth. As demand for artificial intelligence grows,\u00a0Texas\u00a0has become the country’s fastest-growing data center market, drawing developers with available power capacity, incentives and open land.<\/p>\n
Texas\u00a0stands to gain billions in investment from data center development, along with thousands of temporary construction jobs. But local and state officials have raised concerns about the potential strains they could place on infrastructure in a state that’s already facing water shortages and whose power grid has struggled to keep up with growth.<\/p>\n
There are at least 76 projects operating or in the works between\u00a0Temple\u00a0and\u00a0San Antonio, according to ongoing data maintained by the\u00a0Austin American-Statesman, with about 5,600 megawatts currently under construction in the\u00a0Austin\u00a0and\u00a0San Antonio\u00a0metro areas.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s main grid operator, said data centers will cause\u00a0Texas\u00a0energy demand to surge 71% by 2031.<\/p>\n
Gov.\u00a0Greg Abbott\u00a0has called for a pause on data center development in rural neighborhoods. Several legislative committees are holding hearings on the issue this summer ahead of the January session, with support from lawmakers in both parties.<\/p>\n
“The governor’s recommendations have kind of done a 180 in the last few months,”\u00a0Lockhart\u00a0Mayor\u00a0Lew White\u00a0said Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Austin City Council\u00a0will discuss water restrictions for data centers at its meeting next week, including an evaluation of how data centers use non-disclosure agreements to protecy their corporate customers.<\/p>\n
Taylor, about 30 miles northeast of\u00a0Austin, is reevaluating its zoning code after deciding to take no action on a resident-led petition to ban the developments.<\/p>\n
Hays County\u00a0approved a roughly six-month pause on approvals for the developments after its county seat,\u00a0San Marcos, decided to outright ban data centers from its zoning code.\u00a0Henderson,\u00a0Hill,\u00a0Hood,\u00a0Somervell\u00a0and\u00a0Van Zandt\u00a0counties have all weighed data center moratoriums and made calls for either a special session or for the issue to become a top legislative priority when lawmakers convene in January.<\/p>\n
The attempt to ban or pause data center development is tricky for local governments, many of whom lack zoning authorities or have been threatened with lawsuits, including\u00a0San Marcos.<\/p>\n