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Ellis County court urges Legislature to require stricter oversight, transparency for data centers
Summary
The Ellis County Commissioners Court unanimously adopted a resolution asking the Texas Legislature and state agencies to require disclosure of projected electricity and water demand, limit open‑loop cooling in water‑stressed areas, and consider granting counties limited authority to assess infrastructure and resource impacts from large data centers.
The Ellis County Commissioners Court on April 2026 unanimously approved a resolution urging the Texas Legislature and state agencies to strengthen oversight and disclosure requirements for large data centers that are increasingly locating in unincorporated county areas.
Commissioner Louis Ponder, who sponsored the measure, said counties need a narrow, legislative grant of authority to evaluate and condition large-scale computing projects. “This is not about banning data centers or imposing moratoria,” Ponder said as he read the resolution; “it is about having some control and limited authority to protect county infrastructure, water and the character of agricultural land.”
The resolution calls for full, public disclosure of projected electricity demand, water consumption and infrastructure impacts before final project approvals and urges statewide standards prioritizing water‑efficient cooling technologies, reuse of nonpotable water where feasible, and participation in grid demand‑management programs. It also declares opposition to open‑loop evaporative cooling systems in water‑constrained regions and requests independent impact assessments for grid reliability, water availability and land‑use compatibility.
Public commenters who addressed the court before the vote emphasized regional grid and water concerns. David Rogers, a longtime Maypearl landowner whose property is the site of a proposed data center, told commissioners these facilities “fundamentally alter the character of our rural communities” and asked that counties be given tools to require safeguards. Patrick Suter, a Waxahachie council member, cited ERCOT and MISO studies showing sharply rising peak demand tied to data‑center growth.
Judge Ray said the court would transmit copies of the resolution to the governor, lieutenant governor, members of the Texas Legislature representing Ellis County and appropriate state agencies, and encouraged residents to contact state officials to keep the issue on interim agendas ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
