Tom Green County Calls for Stronger Data Center Regulation

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Tom Green County Commissioners Court on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for stronger statewide regulation of data centers amid growing local concerns over their potential impact on water supplies, the electric grid and infrastructure. 

The nonbinding resolution expresses support for responsible economic development, including data centers, but opposes high-volume potable water use for cooling in water-constrained areas of the county. It urges the Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott to require greater transparency on projected electricity and water demands, mandate independent impact studies, and consider granting counties more authority over large-scale industrial projects in unincorporated areas. 

Precinct 4 Commissioner Shawn Nanny, whose precinct includes the Dove Creek area, opened the discussion by citing a flood of communications from constituents opposing a potential data center project. Nanny said he has been “inundated” with calls, texts and emails in recent weeks. 

Many residents voiced opposition following a community meeting Thursday in Dove Creek, where Beacon Data Centers discussed the possibility of developing the “Dove Creek Technology Campus” near the intersection of South FM 2335 and U.S. Highway 67 South. Attendees, estimated at more than 500, overwhelmingly opposed the project by a show of hands, Nanny said. 

The resolution is modeled after a similar measure unanimously passed by the Johnson County Commissioners Court on April 13. Nanny noted that other Texas counties are considering comparable actions. 

County Judge Lane Carter said that while Tom Green County currently lacks the same regulatory powers as municipalities, the resolution aims to bring local concerns to state lawmakers. He also mentioned how one high-efficiency car wash, such as a ZIPS car wash, actually uses more water than a data center. 

“It’s my take that we’re at a crossroads where we can either make an impact or take an impact, and I’d rather be the hammer than the nail,” Nanny said. “I’d like to use every tool, every resource we have to get out in front of this and pump the brakes a little bit.”

The resolution highlights potential strains on the ERCOT grid from hyperscale facilities, risks to regional water availability — especially during droughts — and impacts on roads, emergency services and land use. It calls for statewide standards favoring water-efficient cooling technologies, use of non-potable water sources when possible, and demand-response measures to protect grid reliability. 

It further requests that the governor and Legislature:

• Improve transparency on electricity and water usage projections.
• Prioritize an interim study on grid reliability, water consumption, infrastructure impacts and fiscal implications.
• Consider granting counties limited tools to assess large-scale developments.
• Evaluate the need for a special legislative session if issues are urgent.

Copies of the resolution will be sent to Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state Sen. Charles Perry, state Rep. Drew Darby, the Public Utility Commission, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, ERCOT, the Texas Water Development Board and other bodies. 

The commissioners court’s action comes as data center proposals continue to draw scrutiny across Texas, with local officials seeking a balance between economic growth and protection of public resources.