EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Governor Greg Abbott’s visit to far West Texas came with a pledge to back legislation creating “guidelines” and “guardrails” for data centers.
Abbott was in Socorro, Texas, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, advocating for new legislation he says will streamline permits for homebuilding and save buyers thousands of dollars. He said the proposal would allow developers to use third-party inspectors to also ensure the review process for construction is swift.
Gov. Abbott touts housing affordability initiative, calls El Paso a statewide model
But KTSM 9 News had questions about what happens if those new homes are built near data centers and if the governor has a plan to address concerns from Texans about the controversial issue.
“We will be passing legislation setting guidelines and guardrails for data centers, to make sure that they are not invading our neighborhoods, whether they be in large cities or in rural parts of the state of Texas,” Abbott said…