Democratic Texas Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who’s running for Texas governor, speaks during a recent press conference in San Antonio. Credit: Stephanie Koithan

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Texas’ Democratic gubernatorial candidate, on Thursday called on incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a moratorium on new data center construction until lawmakers can better regulate them.

Hinojosa’s demand comes with Texas in the middle of a data center boom. She attributed much of that activity to her Republican opponent’s signing of a 2015 state law that exempts data centers from paying taxes on consumed electricity.

“What is happening with data centers is an example of the fight of our time, and it is the fight to decide: Is this going to be a Texas that is by and for the people, or is this the billionaires’ world, and we just live here,” Hinojosa said.

During a virtual meeting with reporters Thursday, Hinojosa said Abbott has taken millions of dollars in campaign contributions from data center interests. She added that he’s allowing the industry to run wild in Texas now because he and his donors know that the Texas Legislature is likely to impose stricter regulations next session.

“That’s why they are now approving these data centers in batches at the state level, because everybody’s trying to get their project in under the wire, and that is what helped me to see very clearly and inspired me to call for a moratorium now so that does not happen,” Hinojosa said.

Hinojosa set aside time on the call for Texans opposed to data centers to discuss the effect the massive computer centers are having on their communities.

Granbury resident Tom Weeks, a data center opponent, told reporters he believes Bitcoin mining in his North Texas community is causing severe health issues, including pulmonary embolisms, high blood pressure, and even seizures. However, he said local and state lawmakers have blown off their concerns.

“We’re getting the middle finger, and I’m ready to snap it off,” Weeks said.

Brooklyn Duvall, a 16-year-old from Lubbock, also shared her community’s concerns about possible long-term effects of data center construction, including higher utility prices, water usage and negative health effects on cattle.

“If we had the correct leadership in position, the right things could get done, because you’re supposed to work for the people — and the people clearly do not want this,” she said.

Despite residents’ concerns, unions including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Texas AFL-CIO — who tend to ally with Democrats — have come out in support of the projects because of the high-paying jobs they produce.

Even so, Hinojosa said some of these unions are against the current regulations surrounding data centers because they allow builders of the facilities to use unlicensed electricians to complete work amid labor shortages.

“People will die because they’re just trying to get warm bodies on these data centers,” Hinojosa said. “People will die, and there should not be that trade-off. It is unethical. We can have responsible development that has everybody at the table, including those communities that are impacted most.”

Abbott’s campaign didn’t respond to The Current’s request for comment about whether he will call a moratorium. However, the governor announced Thursday that the developer behind a proposed data center near Cedar Creek Lake, southeast of Dallas, had abandoned the project because it didn’t meet his standards.

“Texas’ expectations are clear: data centers must pay their own infrastructure costs, add grid capacity, and never raise residential electric bills,” Abbott said.

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Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...