The Texas Data Centers Rodeo
Data Centers Need Water and Space
This Rodeo With Data Centers
Did y’all know the State Upzoning regulations would lead to the battle around Data Centers? Well yes it is true and let’s dive in.
That’s right folks. We are in the middle of a real something. In Fort Worth, TX, the people have banned together to say NO and NOT In Or NEAR (NNION) is the new NIMBY (Not In My Backyard). I just made that up but it could take root.
You see, people aren’t dumb. They know what they know. And quality of life can’t easily be duplicated. Especially if there is a real change in the works. This my friends is also known as “defending your turf.'“
So Data Centers, these are not getting the embrace that many, including those politicians running things, thought they’d be facing. They likely were was thinking “these people got their heads in their phones on video stream after video, certainly they won’t take notice of a real quick-like hearing to get a few little new data centers added.” But, folks, that attitude didn’t stand.
Turns out people care.
Concerned citizens have attended Fort Worth City Council meetings month after month while this issue has been on the table, helping affect decisions from January through March. Due to strong community backlash on Mar 31, councilmembers decided to postpone the decision on a 10-year tax break to Black Mountain to at least May 12, 2026. To add your name to a petition about the Black Mountain Data Center, go to ActionNetwork.org. As a Fort Worth resident told Fort Worth Report, while the site rezoning to industrial use will allow this project to move forward, those concerned should still make their voices heard.
https://www.fwweekly.com/2026/04/15/data-centers-invade-the-fort/
“I don’t want to live in a city where my health is going to be at stake, where I’m going to inhale pollution and get sick,” one resident said to Bennett and Riley.
Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/article315021619.html#storylink=cpy
Well those who can afford to develop 100, 200, 300, 400 acre sites aren’t your usual run of the mill companies, they have big, big backing and so, is it any surprise that the “Land Commissioners” for City of Fort Worth would cave to the pressure. That’s my take anyhoo. I mean, how do these councils work with these all in favor votes, seems real off if this is “representative gov” at work. You might think I’m way off base so think about this here quote from one of them Commissioners:
“Commissioner Tammy Pierce asked Bennett about what data centers are used for, the power infrastructure they need, and whether the data center might cause health risks to surrounding neighborhoods. Bennett said that data center developers in Texas must get approval from the state’s power grid to operate, and that according to environmental studies performed by Black Mountain, the data center would not create any health risks. Pierce told the commissioners that data centers are a part of progress. “I trust the city of Fort Worth, I trust our leadership team, I trust the due diligence that you have done,” Pierce said. “It sounds like to me, these data centers with AI and all the demands of 5G, is part of progress. And with progress, people are afraid of change.”
Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/article315343311.html#storylink=cpy
What is Trust Today?
Trust has eroded away and those who say to “trust them” are really putting their boot in it. Using tactics like gaslighting and projections are not going to help as folks can “see” now just how they’ve been treated. Let me recap just what kind of rodeo this country has been going through the last 5 to 10 years…from Covid to economics manipulations to open borders to…it just goes on and on.
For those who’ve tried to ban together to say no, some have gotten support from funded law centers. Here are a few current lawsuits going on around the US:
Know of others? Let me know too txzoning@zonability.com
I’ll put a who list together!
What Lurks Around Data Centers? Why the Pushback?
Endless humming (not like a sweet lullaby, we’re talking real grinder like)
Health concerns
Water re-distribution
Water quality
Reduces nature
Lookie what this comment reads from the Granbury video above: Billionaires are trying to put up data centers in almost every city in Texas that you can imagine. It’s initially done secretly through secret talks with city council in each city. The main problem is is that data centers use a tremendous amount of energy and tens of millions of gallons of water each month from Texas already very scarce and dwindling aquifer system. Data centers are really bad for Texas and that’s why Republican elected officials everywhere are supporting the billionaires 100% of the time.
So let’s add “classist” to the list and some are even using “racist” since locations have demographics showing just that…unfair and disproportionate.
People In the Know Are Talking LOUD
Y’all heard of Benn Jordan? He’s not your usual show up and fight kind of individual but his passion for sound and his curiosity have made him a real force of nature when it comes to All Things AI including Flock surveillance. Here’s his prize on Data Centers with 1.3 million views as of this writing.
My hat goes off to him for his honesty about hypocrisy. We use data centers when doing online stuff. The issue is should this be a public utility, i.e infrastructure with more regulation around heavy drainers, i.e. Flock Surveillance with its 24/7 pan-zoom-tilt cameras versus the videos from Benn. Furthermore, at one point do the regulators opt to have you forego watering your garden so the data center can feed Artificial Intelligence (AI) dependents? Time to question folks!
This interview is from The Diary of a CEO: “AI Whistleblower: We Are Being Gaslit by AI Companies.” It is about a month old as of my writing this post and has 3.8 million views. Karen Hao is the guest who has a new book too so if you read, you may want to buy it.
