Texas Continues Permitting Data Centers Despite Announced Moratorium
Governor Greg Abbott announced a statewide moratorium on data center permits in September, but an analysis by advocacy groups Public Citizen and FracTracker shows that state agencies are still processing such applications. The governor’s office has denied approving any new data center-related permits during this period. The discrepancy between the official announcement and ongoing permit activity raises questions about enforcement of the moratorium. Advocacy groups argue that continued permitting undermines environmental concerns linked to energy consumption by large-scale data centers, particularly in a state heavily reliant on fossil fuels for power generation.
