Texas data center power plants face backlash over emissions and local impacts

A new analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project identified 74 planned natural‑gas‑fired power plants intended to supply electricity directly to data centers across the United States, with 32 of those projects located in Texas. If all are built, the Texas facilities could emit more than 287 million tons of greenhouse gases each year – roughly the emissions of 61 million gasoline‑driven cars – along with thousands of tons of fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds that threaten public health.

Community groups in Texas, notably in El Paso, have organized opposition to the data‑center developments, citing water scarcity and noise. Residents argue that the desert location cannot sustain the water‑intensive cooling systems, and that the constant noise from the facilities would degrade quality of life. As one local expert noted, “If you have a declining oil field and you had that big captive asset there, then plugging it in to run digital infrastructure instead makes a lot of sense,” but many question whether the promised jobs outweigh the environmental costs.

The report’s lead author, Griffin Bird, warned that “the impact on local communities will be significant, especially in lower‑income counties where life expectancy is already below the national average.” Jen Duggan added that the concentration of plants in vulnerable areas could worsen existing health disparities. Industry spokespeople maintain that the data‑center sector is committed to energy efficiency and responsible stewardship, but the scale of the proposed power‑plant build‑out has raised concerns among environmental and public‑health advocates.