Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela

Hood County Al data center town hall draws bipartisan concerns over water, noise and local control

Democrats and Republicans in Hood County may have found some common ground: data centers.Residents, elected officials and political candidates packed a town hall meeting in Granbury Wednesday night to voice their concerns over the rapid expansion of Al-related data centers in the county.During the event, speakers described the issue as one that has moved beyond traditional political divides."This is one of those issues that can transcend the polar part of party politics," said Hood County GOP Ch...

Oppose? Expand? Votes in 2 North Texas communities highlight a divide over data center growth

Leaders in two North Texas communities took sharply different approaches this week to the rapid expansion of Al-driven data centers, highlighting a growing divide over how Texas should manage the industry's explosive growth.In Glen Rose, the Somervell County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution opposing any new data center developments until the state legislature addresses the county concerns over water and energy regulations.Additionally, the commissioners approved a letter to...

Granbury residents sue city over data center plan, allege Texas Open Meetings Act violations

A group of Granbury residents sued city leaders over plans for a proposed data center development and the annexation of more than 2,000 acres of land in Hood County.The lawsuit, filed Monday in Hood County, names the City of Granbury, Mayor Jim Jarratt, Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Wadley, several city council members, and City Manager Chris Coffman as defendants.Plaintiffs Daniel Piatt, Janet Logsdon, James Logsdon and Craig Jackson are residents and property owners who say they were denied transparency...

Texas had one of its warmest, driest winters ever — raising concerns about climate trends

Texas is emerging from a winter that stood out for its heat and lack of rain, ranking as the warmest and driest on record for several parts of the state. While the season included brief arctic outbreaks, it was dominated by temperatures that frequently climbed 10 degrees above normal.Statewide, this season was among the top two warmest ever recorded across the United States.According to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, the winter of December 2025 through February 2026 was also the 11t...

KERA News • February 25 2026

Hood County rejects second data center moratorium, seeks attorney general's opinion on authority

Commissioners in Hood County voted down a proposed moratorium on large-scale data center development Tuesday for the second time this month — instead choosing to seek an opinion from the Texas Attorney General on whether the county even has the authority to enact one.The proposed pause, which failed in a 3-2 vote, would have temporarily halted new large-scale development while county leaders studied potential impacts on water, infrastructure and public health.Commissioners Kevin Andrews and Jack...

Hood County to consider another data center moratorium despite potential legal concerns

Hood County leaders will once again weigh whether to hit pause on large-scale data center development. But even if they move forward, state law may stand in the way.After narrowly voting 3-2 earlier this month against a proposed moratorium on new industrial projects, county commissioners are now reconsidering the idea Tuesday amid mounting public pressure and new procedural moves that could test the limits of local authority.At the center of the debate is House Bill 2559, passed during the lates...

Hood County rejects moratorium on new data centers, large developments despite pushback

Hood County Commissioners voted Tuesday against a plan to pause all new large industrial developments as residents raised concerns about more data centers headed to the county.Commissioners rejected the six-month moratorium on new industrial permits, including data centers and factories, 3-2.County Judge Ron Massingill and commissioners Kevin Andrews and Jack Wilson voted no.However, commissioners Nannette Samuelson and Dave Eagle argue current rules are too outdated to protect Lake Granbury's w...

Dallas poised to add EV chargers at libraries, rec centers following regional funding approval

Dallas is a step closer to expanding electric vehicle charging access across the city after regional transportation leaders recommended funding for 10 public charging sites.The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program totaling $1.3 trillion dollars nationwide.Dallas submitted 16 city-owned locations to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, which is managing the DOT grant, for approval. Ten sites were recommended for fund...

Hood County gives conditional approval to 2,100-acre data center development after pushback

Hood County commissioners gave conditional approval to a roughly 2,100-acre development aimed at housing another data center in the region Tuesday after about two hours of pushback from locals urging them to turn it down.The real estate company Sailfish submitted the proposal, known as Comanche Circle, last year. The park would include several data center buildings, on-site power generation and on-site water and wastewater management, all of which require special permits.According to its proposa...

Experts warn TCEQ is not equipped to enforce regulations on rapidly emerging AI data centers

Shannon Watts worries that AI data centers are a threat to public health. Jacob Herbold has concerns about noise and pollution. And Carolyn Reeves doesn't like how much water and electricity could be drained by having a data center nearby. As Texas aggressively recruits AI data centers in a broader push to attract tech investment, critics warn that regulation has not kept pace with growth — and Texans will suffer the consequences.The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is responsibl...

Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela

KERA News

Hood County Al data center town hall draws bipartisan concerns over water, noise and local control

Oppose? Expand? Votes in 2 North Texas communities highlight a divide over data center growth

Granbury residents sue city over data center plan, allege Texas Open Meetings Act violations

Texas had one of its warmest, driest winters ever — raising concerns about climate trends

Hood County rejects second data center moratorium, seeks attorney general's opinion on authority

Hood County to consider another data center moratorium despite potential legal concerns

Hood County rejects moratorium on new data centers, large developments despite pushback

Dallas poised to add EV chargers at libraries, rec centers following regional funding approval

Hood County gives conditional approval to 2,100-acre data center development after pushback

Experts warn TCEQ is not equipped to enforce regulations on rapidly emerging AI data centers

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Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela