Lubbock Residents Oppose Large-Scale Data Center Development

Approximately 500 residents gathered at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center and a subsequent city council meeting this week to express opposition to potential large-scale AI data centers. While no such facilities are currently proposed within city limits, the Government of Lubbock organized a public hearing to gauge community input on the trade-offs between economic benefits—such as tax revenue and jobs—and the environmental risks associated with high electricity and water consumption in West Texas.

During the meetings, 67 citizens spoke, with many citing threats to public health, data privacy, and environmental degradation. City Manager Jarrett Atkinson reported that a survey of over 1,500 people identified water and electricity usage as the primary concerns. In response, the city proposed a specific-use permit process that would require closed-loop cooling systems to mitigate water loss. Councilwoman Christy Martinez-Garcia questioned why industrial projects, including potential data centers, would be concentrated in districts one and two.

Opposing the cautious approach, State Representative Carl Tepper argued that the city should aggressively welcome data centers to drive economic development. Meanwhile, the community group Citizens of Lubbock Against Data Centers began collecting signatures for a petition to implement an 18-month moratorium on such facilities. Mayor Mark McBrayer maintained that the city can establish its own standards for noise and water use and stated that further research is required before any facility is considered.