Austin is considering new regulations for massive AI data centers amid growing concerns over their significant water and energy demands.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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State Government
A new Texas law declaws neighborhood groups that oppose housing projects
Lawmakers gutted an old state law that required a city council supermajority to approve a new housing development if neighbors petitioned the proposal.
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Energy
Industry warns of blackouts, economic woes if Texas overreacts to data center, transmission line anger
Energy regulators and industry experts warn that the state’s delays to major projects amid backlash from residents could create rolling blackouts and strangle growth of other industries that need power.
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Demographics
Rio Grande Valley residents are feeling more negative about their lives. That could spill into the voting booth.
Rio Grande Valley residents are unhappy with the economy, salaries, and other factors. That could sway their political views, according to political watchdogs.
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Energy
Texas will audit up to 300 projects, mostly data centers, after Gov. Greg Abbott’s order
The state’s power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbott’s directive reworks the timeline and adds new requirements.
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Economy
Data center audit lacks specifics even as Gov. Abbott, industry leaders tout it
Without key details on the audits but the eagerness to support them, policy watchers question how impactful these audits will be in curbing data center growth.
![“The powerful industry [doesn’t] want people to recognize their power, and people are recognizing their power,” said Isabel Araiza, an organizer of the petition drive who spoke to the Corpus Christi City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2016.](https://i0.wp.com/www.texastribune.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CityCouncilScreenshot-1-1536x864-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
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Economy
Corpus Christi voters to decide if industry should pay sharply higher water fees during droughts
Activists gathered nearly 13,000 petition signatures to place the measure on the November ballot. Legal challenges are expected.
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Economy
Broadband grants paused as critics allege favoritism toward Elon Musk’s Starlink
The Texas Broadband office made the announcement after facing scrutiny from lawmakers for changing the rules to seemingly favor companies such as Elon Musk’s Starlink.
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Economy
Texas cuts child care subsidy program. Here’s what that means.
Inflation and federal funding cuts have squeezed Texas’ child care subsidy, causing the Texas Workforce Commission to scale back the program.
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Data Centers in Texas
Here’s how to find information about data centers in Texas
What information is accessible about a data center project can differ from place to place and depend on whether a project seeks out tax breaks, whether it needs local rezoning or special permits, and how it will get its power and water.