OpenAI Data Center Uses Dry‑Cleaner Permit for Texas Power Plant

OpenAI is constructing its flagship Stargate AI data center near Abilene, Texas. The project includes a natural‑gas‑powered electrical plant located about 500 yards from a local ranch, where resident Omaira Garcia reports dust and emissions after construction began in summer 2024. Residents say they were not given notice and feel “trapped” by the nearby facility.

The plant was approved with a minor air permit typically issued for dry cleaners and similar small‑scale operations, allowing it to avoid the extensive environmental review required for major emission sources. watchdogs say the loophole lets data centers bypass public scrutiny. Developer Crusoe argues the center contributes to local economic development, funding fire trucks, school expansions, and road improvements. Texas officials, including Governor Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump, have touted the AI boom as a “gold rush,” while the state’s rapid data‑center growth could make Texas the nation’s leading market by 2030.