As Texas Becomes the Epicenter for Data Center Boom, Political Fault Lines Emerge w/ Candice Bernd (G&R 503)

Texas is rapidly becoming the epicenter of a data center and crypto mining boom, fueled by cheap, unregulated energy and aggressive tax incentives—but at a devastating cost to water supplies, grid stability, and local democracy. Candice Bernd, investigative journalist for The Texas Observer, reveals how rural communities are being overrun by massive AI and Bitcoin facilities that drain billions of gallons of water, spike energy bills, and operate under a veil of secrecy. The crisis has ignited a political firestorm: while Governor Abbott once championed these projects, he’s now reversing course amid growing backlash. A deep divide has emerged within the Republican Party, with rural lawmakers and residents demanding local control and moratoriums, while urban Republicans and state leaders push for centralized oversight. The fight centers on a fundamental question of democracy—whether communities should have the right to regulate their own natural resources. In Corpus Christi, a data center tied to shady crypto firms is using 127,000 gallons of water daily while paying only $4,300 in promised fees, all while the city faces a potential water emergency. Meanwhile, the state’s attorney general is blocking public records, and developers are using nondisclosure agreements to hide their plans—fueling distrust and sparking grassroots resistance. This isn’t just about tech—it’s about who controls the future of Texas’s land, water, and democracy.