El Paso has released a draft of its Data Center Policy Framework, a plan aimed at holding large data centers accountable for the disastrous impact they have on the environment and the communities they occupy.
The draft was released on the same day that the El Paso City Council approved a plan to stop recruiting and incentivizing new data centers.
The City Council first approved a plan to create the Policy Framework in February, giving the city manager 90 days to return with a plan. During that time, the city conducted extensive research and analysis on data center construction and consumption, hosted six community meetings and launched an online survey — more than 540 residents attended in-person meetings and another 274 responded online.
At the heart of many respondents’ concerns was massive water consumption, electricity demand, rising utility costs, environmental impacts, transparency, economic incentives, land use and long-term protections for the community.
Residents also logged complaints about the Meta data center currently under construction in the Northeast, calling for cancellation of its 380 Agreement. But the draft Policy Framework “does not reopen or cancel existing agreements,” a city news release stated.
“This draft framework reflects the concerns we’ve heard from people across El Paso about water, infrastructure, energy demand, and the long-term impacts on our community,” Mayor Renard Johnson said in the release. “The framework is focused on creating stronger safeguards, greater transparency, and clearer oversight moving forward.”
The draft policy includes the following recommendations:
How to get involved
The city is encouraging residents to review the draft policy, which can be viewed online. There, residents can provide feedback, which will be evaluated and considered before the City Council gives final approval to the plan.
“This draft framework gives the city a stronger footing for future decisions,” said City Manager Dionne Mack in the release. “It reflects extensive public feedback and lays out practical tools to strengthen oversight, protect infrastructure, and bring greater transparency to future hyperscale data center proposals. The next step is to ensure the final recommendations are clear, enforceable, and aligned with El Paso’s long-term interests.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Could new rules limit future data centers in El Paso?
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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