Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sent letters to 156 data center developments across the state as part of an ongoing investigation into water use and compliance with Texas law, according to an Oct. 15 news release from his office.
The letters notify the developments that they must provide up-to-date and accurate information about their water usage, the Office of the Attorney General said. The office said the effort is part of its work to protect Texas resources and communities as data center development continues to expand rapidly across the state.
The release said Paxton previously announced an investigation into hundreds of data center developments. According to the office, the facilities under investigation include those that have not responded to the Texas Water Development Board’s water use survey.
“Data center developers must follow the law and respect the Texans and communities affected by their operations,” Paxton said in the release. “I am actively investigating data centers across Texas to make sure that Texans and our natural resources are protected.”
The Office of the Attorney General said it will ensure that data centers do not place unlawful burdens on Texas taxpayers or threaten critical resources.
The office said letters went to developments in 32 counties: Bexar, Brazos, Cameron, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ector, El Paso, Glasscock, Harris, Hidalgo, Hood, Lubbock, Maverick, McLennan, Midland, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Nueces, Pecos, Potter, Randall, Sherman, Tarrant, Tom Green, Travis, Victoria, Waller, Ward, Webb, Wichita and Williamson.
The release said the office is acting as data center development continues to expand rapidly across Texas, and that it will continue its investigation.