Hunt County OKs petition asking state to pause data‑center approvals after wave of public concern

Hunt County Commissioners on April 14 approved a resolution and accompanying citizen petition asking state officials to pause data‑center development in unincorporated county areas and to provide statewide standards or interim guidance for issues such as water use, power management, fire protections and valuation after facility closures.

The action followed more than an hour of public testimony in which residents raised concerns about the scale and local impacts of proposed AI/data‑center campuses. “I love this county,” said Marsha Kirkendall, a Greenville resident, asking the court to consider long‑term effects on farmland and community character. Several emailed statements read into the record asked for transparency and rigorous environmental and infrastructure reviews. An online comment from Bryson Swearingen urged officials to “complete a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and infrastructure implications of this project and to ensure that Hunt County residents are fully informed before proceeding.”

County presenters said the resolution and petition are intended to amplify local concerns to the governor, Legislature and multiple state agencies. Commissioner Gary Smith read a draft letter and described a parallel citizen petition drive that will be available at precinct barns, the courthouse and other county offices; he said the court will also staff evening signature sessions and seek door‑to‑door volunteers. “If 50 people show up to get donors … that’s 1,000 signatures,” the county’s presentation said, explaining why the court set a 1,000‑signature target before transmitting the petition to state officials.

The draft transmittal addressed a long list of county requests, including: interim rules or authority for counties over resource utilization (water and power), fire code and developer funding for volunteer fire departments, drainage and road planning, noise limits, contaminant management, reporting and enforcement mechanisms, and valuation methodology for assessing tax effects when data centers close. The resolution also asked state committees and agencies—naming the governor, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and others—to act promptly rather than waiting for the next legislative session.

Multiple residents urged the court to use whatever local tools it can while pursuing state action. “It’s disingenuous to say you have no authority,” Carolyn Davis told commissioners after describing contacts she’d made with regional bodies and state agencies. County staff and counsel said the court’s scope is limited by current state law but that a coordinated letter plus a petition could raise the profile of local concerns in Austin.

The court unanimously approved the resolution and authorization to collect signatures and to post information about petition locations and volunteer opportunities on county channels. The materials submitted to the state will include the letter approved by the court and the attached citizens petition. The petition drive was scheduled to run through May 2 with in‑person evening signings at precinct barns and a presence at the Hunt County Fair.

Next steps: county staff will finalize petition materials and begin the scheduled signature collection and volunteer outreach; the county intends to transmit the letter and signatures to named state officials shortly after May 2.