El Paso County commissioners hit pause on a key agreement tied to Meta’s planned El Paso data center, postponing a vote on Feb. 27 and telling residents they want more details before they sign off. The proposed change, which was listed as agenda item 9A for the March 2 Commissioners Court session, was pulled and will be brought back at a later meeting, county staff said.
In a Facebook update, El Paso County said agenda item 9A would have amended a Chapter 381 agreement with Wurldwide, LLC. This company holds the agreement for the Meta El Paso data center. The county said the matter is being postponed while staff gather additional information. No new hearing date was provided.
What Item 9A Was Set To Change
Item 9A would modify the county’s Chapter 381 economic development agreement with Wurldwide LLC, the holding company connected to Meta’s campus on more than 1,000 acres in northeast El Paso. As reported by the Texas Tribune, the larger project is paired with tax abatement proposals and an estimated initial investment of roughly $1.5 billion in its first phase.
Why Commissioners Want More Details
The county has not spelled out exactly which parts of the amendment triggered questions. Local coverage shows officials and residents zeroing in on tighter language around job guarantees, the scope of tax relief, and environmental protections connected to the buildout. Reporting that has tracked the project’s size and local reaction, along with permit filings, has highlighted the scale of what is coming to the northeast side, as per Hoodline.
Power And Water Still Loom Large
Beyond incentives, the project continues to raise questions about how it will be powered and how much water it will ultimately consume. Recent coverage outlines El Paso Electric’s idea for a near-site natural gas power solution. At the same time, industry reporting describes plans to deploy modular gas generators to meet early demand, as documented by DataCenter Dynamics and local reporting by KVIA.
What’s Next For The County And Meta
The county’s Facebook post says only that the amendment will be rescheduled once staff compiles the requested information. In the meantime, the city has formally intervened in related utility proceedings and community groups are still pushing for tougher conditions, as reported by the Texas Tribune. Meta, for its part, has reiterated in its project announcement that it intends to match the site’s electricity use with renewable energy and support local water restoration efforts.
Legal Note…