A battle over two planned data centers in Guadalupe County, Texas, is turning into a heated debate as the local government pits itself against the community members.
The dispute is now headed to court, and it's even alleged that one government official has a conflict of interests with the project.
What happened?
Across Guadalupe County, residents have filled public meetings to object to plans for the Palomino Alpha and Cloudburst data centers.
The controversy mirrors earlier opposition to proposed data centers on the far northwest side of Bexar County.
According to KSAT, Bobby Levinski, an attorney with Save Our Springs Alliance, filed a lawsuit against the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court, claiming public meetings related to the projects were not handled properly.
Levinski said, "What was happening in Guadalupe County was a pattern of meetings that didn't quite meet the standards that are required under state law under the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Texas Tax Code."
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He also questioned the ethics of Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher's involvement, telling KSAT that Kutscher and his family own more than 100 acres within the Palomino Alpha site.
The Guadalupe County Attorney's Office told KSAT it does not comment on pending litigation.
Why does it matter?
Residents opposing the projects point to backup generators and other supporting infrastructure as threats to air quality. They also fear the data centers' water needs could put pressure on local supplies, increase household bills, and affect property values.
In a fast-growing area, residents may already feel squeezed by rising utility bills and development pressure, and projects like this add to that pressure.
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Guadalupe County homeowner Al Green summed up the frustration: "I feel like they're rotten. They're taking advantage of most people."
What's being done?
A lawsuit has been filed, and at the center of it is the way county officials conducted meetings connected to the two proposed developments.
Residents are also continuing to show up in person. As KSAT reported, opponents spoke with reporters ahead of a Crystal Clear Special Utility Board meeting and then addressed the board because one data center's water use appeared on the agenda.
The board left that meeting without making a decision on water usage for the projects.
"The water bills, I don't want them to go up any higher," Cynthia, a homeowner in Seguin, said.
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