New Hill County Checklist Forces Data Centers to Reveal Water Usage

Central Texas counties continue in their efforts to slow the onslaught of data center construction.

Hill County Replaces Data Center Ban with Stringent Industrial Oversight

Faced with the threat of a lawsuit, Hill County officials have altered their strategy regarding data center growth. According to KCEN, the county’s commissioners have voted to revoke a recently enacted one-year moratorium on data center construction, choosing instead to implement a strict framework of regulatory requirements that local advocates believe may do more to protect their county.

Navigating Legal Turbulence

The administrative shift comes on the heels of intense legal pressure. In mid-May, commissioners passed a temporary ban by a 3-2 vote to stop the construction of large data centers. The ban was immediately challenged by a developer, RCM Hill LLC, which filed a lawsuit claiming the move was unconstitutional. The lawsuit followed County Attorney David Holmes warning county officials that the ban would result in legal action.

Read More: Why Central Texas Is A Hotspot For Data Centers 

The New Infrastructure Safeguards

Though the ban has been rescinded, county leaders did not retreat empty-handed. They immediately ratified two new regulatory structures designed to tightly govern data centers in unincorporated areas. The cornerstone of this new approach is the Major Industrial Development Review Policy.

Major Industrial Development Review Policy

Instead of having free reign, data center developers will have to justify and document every move they make. Developers must now submit in depth documentation on traffic impact analyses, structural bridge capacities, and comprehensive water consumption projections before receiving operational approval. An official proclamation will also be included requiring all unincorporated industrial sites to maintain strict compliance with federal, state, and regional statutes.

Read More: Bell County Designs Strict New Terms to Curb Unchecked Data Center Growth

Grassroots Support and Statewide Implications

Julie Waters, an attorney with the advocacy group Texans United Against Data Centers, which gained over 21,000 Facebook members in less than a month, views the removal of the moratorium as a hidden victory. Waters told KCEN that the new review policy goes further than the temporary ban ever could. Because the new checklist relies on existing state statutes, it is difficult for corporate lawyers to dismantle in court.

Sneaky Behavior Exposed

According to Waters, the initial ban exposed a common behavior among tech firms wanting to build data centers in central Texas: Efforts were made to build in rural areas without the knowledge of local commissioners. In Hill County, four separate developers revealed their plans only after the temporary ban was publicized.

Mobilizing Texans

Looking forward, Waters is mobilizing Texans to petition their own regional boards for matching protections. She is also coordinating a push for a Texas Legislature interim hearing on June 23rd in Austin, urging rural residents to testify directly about industrial water consumption before the next legislative session begins.