Voters in Texas agree: They hate data centers

Data centers are booming in Texas, but a broad bipartisan coalition of voters is pushing back. The group We the People Texas, representing up to 1 million voters, opposes data center construction due to concerns over water consumption, tax subsidies, rising electricity bills, and local land use. A August poll found 57% of Texans oppose data centers, including 43% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats. Governor Greg Abbott, who once welcomed the industry, has recently imposed moratoriums and called for cost-sharing, but critics say it is too little, too late, and note his campaign contributions from data center interests. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are trying to distance themselves from the industry, but voters remain skeptical. The article details the environmental and economic impacts, including water use projections and lost tax revenue, and highlights the political stakes in the upcoming midterm elections.

(Source：The Verge)