Fort Worth is pumping the brakes on new data centers while city leaders take a closer look at what the rapidly growing industry could mean for the electric grid, water supply, and surrounding neighborhoods.
The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously to begin the process of establishing a temporary moratorium on new data center development. The pause is not yet in effect and must first go through state-mandated steps.
Mayor Mattie Parker said the city faces a balancing act. Data centers can bring high-tech investment, jobs and tax revenue, but their demands on infrastructure and potential environmental impacts have raised concerns locally and across Texas.
As part of Tuesday’s action, Fort Worth also established a Data Center & Infrastructure Commission led by Dr. Mike Slattery, director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at Texas Christian University. The group will study the issue and help shape possible regulations.
The city also approved a requirement that new data center applications provide evidence of electric grid interconnection approval from the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT.
Parker said the council’s action aligns with Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide audit and temporary pause on data center development. She pointed to growing public concern, including a recent Gallup poll finding that about 7 in 10 Americans oppose AI data centers in their communities.
For residents in Benbrook and southwest Fort Worth, the debate is particularly relevant as North Texas continues to attract large-scale technology and infrastructure projects.
“It is our responsibility as policymakers to move forward, understanding these concerns, to find solutions that protect what matters most to our residents while building a stronger future for Fort Worth,” Parker said.
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