#Texans are demanding their local governments push pause on #DataCenters . Can they?

Texans from #WacoTX to #HarlingenTX are raising concerns over how much energy and water data centers are poised to use. Local officials, some enticed by a tax boon, say they have little power to stop the rush.

By Berenice Garcia and Sam Shaw, The Waco Bridge, Feb. 13, 2026

Excerpt: "From #AmarilloTX to Waco, #CollegeStationTX to Harlingen, Texans are raising concerns over the proliferation of data centers — and the tremendous amounts of water and energy they are poised to suck up.

"Seemingly overnight, these sprawling campuses of computer servers meant to store information from websites and power artificial intelligence are popping up all over the state.

Just this month, the largest proposed data center in the U.S. was approved in Pecos County. That follows the start of construction of a $500 billion data center on the outskirts of Abilene and a planned 5,800-acre project in the Texas Panhandle that will include the world’s “largest energy campus,” according to its backers.

Together with more modest proposals near Waco, and just outside of Harlingen, Texas is emerging as a contender to challenge Virginia’s dominance in data centers.

In many of these places, Texans are demanding local elected officials intervene."

Read more:
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/13/texas-data-centers-local-governments-power/

#NoWaterForDatacenters #DatacenterResistance #NoWaterForAI #NoEnergyForAI #AISucks #WaterIsLife #USPol #TexasPol #ResistAI #ResistDatacenters

Here is the new Congressional district map of Texas. Note how the four largest cities (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin) are carved up into pieces that are predominately rural and suburban. This is classic gerrymandering.

https://dvr.capitol.texas.gov/Congress/89/PLANC2333

#USPol #TexasPol #Texas #Gerrymandering

I guess I spoke a little too soon suggesting the five anti-trans bills still alive of the 120+ filed in the #TxLege very well could die before today's deadline.

Texas Senate Bill 1257 made it through the house and will head to Gov Abbott's desk. This bill, soon to become law, will make it cost prohibitive for insurance companies to cover medical costs associated with gender transition.

#TexasPol #TransHealthcare

https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-05-12/texas-pass-gender-trans-affirming-health-care-lgbtq

probably not a coincidence that:

1. Russia has been pushing #Texit propaganda hard: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/to-texas-with-love-what-russias-support-of-texit-tells-us-about-the-frayed-nature-of-us-politics-33862864

2. Russia has become the world's second largest bitcoin transaction processor (some call it "mining") and thus one of the largest holders of bitcoin: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/04/07/russia-becomes-worlds-second-largest-crypto-miner-a80749

3. Texas legislature's top priorities for 2025 include transferring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the hands of bitcoin bros (and therefore Russia): https://universeodon.com/@cryptadamist/113913392636723686

#Texas #Russia #Putin #uspol #uspolitics #txpol #texaspol #texaspolitics #bitcoin #crypto #cryptocurrency #MAGA

nothing to see here, just #Texas legislators threatening to create their own gold backed currency and yelling about #China while they simultaneously back the local #bitcoin "mining" industry (which is controlled by... China).

https://x.com/AndyHopperTX/status/1877916644799860994

#bitcoinmining #btc #uspol #Uspolitics #PRC #TX #TXpol #Texaspol #KenPaxton

Poor Leon just can't seem to get his money's worth.

Elon Musk spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to unseat a Texas prosecutor, report says. It didn't work.

https://flip.it/pSkmFH

#ElonMusk #TexasPolitics #LegalBattle #Prosecutor #FailedAttempt #TexasLaw #MoneySpent #PoliticalInfluence #NotWorthIt #TexasNews #politics #pac #texaspol #txpol #Austin #josegarza