Loading map…
Regbase

The Data Center Divide

Karnes County

This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.

Mixed Data Center Policies

Karnes County adopted a resolution calling for public discussion of some proposed data centers and asking state officials to consider stronger oversight; it does not ban centers or impose binding operating rules.

Rating from Texas statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Karnes County.

Specific to Karnes County only.

current law · Unincorporated areas
Establishes county policy supporting appropriately designed data centers while opposing large-scale facilities in water-constrained areas that lack safeguards for water supplies, grid reliability, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems, health, and community welfare.Karnes County Commissioners Court Resolution regarding the establishment of additional data centers in Texas (2026)

What this means

The measure does not ban data centers or impose binding operating rules. It calls for public discussion of some proposed projects and asks state officials to consider stronger oversight, which could add a little scrutiny but is unlikely to create a major barrier.

Timing

Ends
180 days after adoption

The moratorium is temporary and expires 180 days after adoption. The commissioners court may extend it if necessary, although another characterization describes the measure as not establishing a moratorium.

People behind it

  • Formally proposed, approved, and enacted the data center resolution

  • Karnes County Judge who signed the resolution

  • Precinct 1 Commissioner who signed the resolution

Show 3 more peopleShow fewer people

  • Precinct 2 Commissioner who signed the resolution

  • Precinct 3 Commissioner who signed the resolution

  • Precinct 4 Commissioner who signed the resolution

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements9

  • Requires county approval before a data center may be built or expanded.

  • Requires proposed large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas to be placed on a posted public-meeting agenda and provide an opportunity for public input before approval.

  • Requires evaluation of proposed facilities’ impacts on water supplies, roads, drainage, emergency services, neighboring land uses, electric-grid reliability, infrastructure, public health, and environmental quality.

  • Calls for rigorous, independent assessments of grid and transmission impacts, regional water availability, land and habitat effects, infrastructure and taxpayer costs, and surrounding land uses before future projects are approved.

  • Requires data centers to meet operating standards addressing water use, noise, and other impacts.

  • Requires data-center operators, rather than local taxpayers, to pay infrastructure and service costs associated with the facility.

  • Opposes the use of open-loop evaporative cooling and other high-volume potable-water technologies for large-scale, high-continuous-load data centers in water-constrained regions unless the developer demonstrates a sustainable water supply and mitigation safeguards.

  • Requires transparent reporting of projected electricity and water use for future data-center developments.

  • Requires safeguards protecting electric-grid reliability, sustainable water use, agricultural and ecologically sensitive land, natural drainage, county infrastructure, public health, and environmental quality before large-scale data centers are approved.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions6

  • Allows the county to offer tax abatements or other property-tax incentives to qualifying data-center projects, subject to applicable law and negotiated agreements.

  • Supports the use of available state sales-tax exemptions for qualifying data-center equipment and electricity used to operate the facility, subject to statutory eligibility requirements.

  • Directs county officials to work with developers and utility providers on roads, electric service, water, wastewater, telecommunications, and other infrastructure needed for data-center construction and operation.

  • Calls for coordinated and expedited county review and permitting of data-center projects, avoiding unnecessary delays or duplicative requirements.

  • Opposes future county actions imposing a moratorium or otherwise prohibiting data centers, preserving the ability of qualifying projects to be developed and operated under applicable rules.

  • Does not create new county regulatory, zoning, or other land-use authority and does not itself impose new permitting, siting, or operating restrictions on data centers.

Sources

Data provided by Regbase · Cookie preferences · Report missing data