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Home – Political News – Hundreds Pack Overflow Rooms as Texans Sound Alarm Over Data Center Growth

Hundreds Pack Overflow Rooms as Texans Sound Alarm Over Data Center Growth

During a hearing before the House Committee on State Affairs, residents, state regulators, and local officials expressed concerns about the potential impacts large data centers could have on the state. 

On Wednesday, the State Affairs Committee heard testimony from hundreds of residents, prompting lawmakers to open two overflow rooms. 

Residents raised concerns about water supplies, noise levels, and electricity demands. 

One resident, Mark Friesenhahn, a pecan farmer in Comal County, spoke to lawmakers about the need to study water usage in addition to the large electricity loads required by data centers. 

Friesenhahn, who holds a professional engineer license, explained that data centers use significant amounts of water, but agriculture also requires substantial water resources. He provided lawmakers with a chart showing that agriculture is at the low end of the scale when it comes to water use and said farmers are struggling as the state faces dwindling water supplies. 

“My request is pretty straightforward. We’re talking with other committees, Sen. [Charles] Perry’s and others, to request that you help support water availability certification for new commercial operations for the life of their operation,” Friesenhahn said.

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