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Regbase

The Data Center Divide

Hood County

Neutral Data Center Policies

Hood County adopted a resolution opposing additional data centers and urging a special legislative session, but it does not itself restrict their construction or operation. Proposed reporting, impact reviews, and water standards would require separate legislation.

current law · County measure
Expresses opposition to additional Texas data centers until enforceable safeguards protect grid reliability, infrastructure security, water resources, and community and public-health needs.Hood County Commissioners’ Court Resolution on the Establishment of Additional Data Centers in the State of Texas and Call for Special Legislative Session (2026) — Hood County Commissioners Court; sponsored/adopted by the Commissioners Court on February 24, 2026

What this means

The resolution does not itself ban data centers or add rules for building or operating them; it calls on the governor to convene a special session to consider new requirements. Its opposition may add political pressure, but the proposed reporting, impact reviews, and water standards would require separate legislation.

People behind it

  • Adopted the underlying resolution on February 7, 2026.

  • Adopted the resolution opposing additional data centers and calling for a special legislative session.

  • Hood County Judge who signed the adopted resolution.

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  • Hood County Commissioner, Precinct 1, who signed the adopted resolution.

  • Hood County Commissioner, Precinct 2, who signed the adopted resolution.

  • Hood County Commissioner, Precinct 3, who signed the adopted resolution.

  • Hood County Commissioner, Precinct 4, who signed the adopted resolution.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements6

  • The Commissioners’ Court expresses strong opposition to additional data centers in Texas until comprehensive, enforceable safeguards protect grid reliability and security, ensure compliance with specified infrastructure-protection laws, require responsible water use, and address community-resource and public-health needs.

  • The proposed legislation would require public and regulatory disclosure of anticipated electricity and water demand for each proposed data center before final approval.

  • The proposed legislation would prohibit approval of future data centers without an independent assessment of their effects on the state electric grid and regional water resources.

  • The proposed legislation would require project plans showing that a data center will not reduce grid reliability, will comply with the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, and will not contribute to water shortages affecting households, farmers, or local industries.

  • The proposed legislation would require state agencies to adopt data-center planning and regulatory standards prioritizing local resource sustainability, including water-efficient cooling or the use of waste or reclaimed water for cooling.

  • The proposed legislation would create mechanisms for counties, municipalities, and other appropriate governing bodies to participate meaningfully in data-center land- and resource-use decisions.

Sources

current law · Unincorporated areas, including municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions
Hood County's published regulations identify a March 10, 2026 amendment and expressly add data-center concept-plan checklist requirements with parallel site-plan review.Hood County Development Permit Regulations, Section One Amendments (2026) — Hood County Commissioners Court; sponsored/adopted by the Commissioners Court on March 10, 2026

People behind it

  • Determines concept-plan approval, conditional approval or denial.

  • Conducts technical review and makes recommendations.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2

  • Data centers, AI data centers and cryptocurrency mining uses have a maximum 10% coverage including buildings, structures, power plants, wind turbines, parking and other paved areas.

  • Additional data-center/industrial concept-plan checklist requires drainage, water and wastewater, environmental, adjacent-use, power and traffic information, plus applicable battery, infrastructure-protection and decommissioning documentation. Parallel site-plan requirements also appear in the published text.

Sources

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