Data Center Building Plans Concerning Locals
Image of GW Ranch Render from Pacifico Energy website
By: Madi Deskovick, Skyline Reporter
ALPINE - Pacifico Energy wants to build a data center and natural gas plant on 8,400 acres within Brewster County, northwest of Alpine. Natural resource experts as well as locals say they are concerned over the seemingly hasty exchange of land and water for increased internet intelligence. Pacific Energy representatives met with Brewster County officials on Sept. 15 but have not made any official decisions.
The Dean of Agriculture at Sul Ross State University, Dr. Bonnie Warnock, warned against building these data centers quickly without enough research.
“I don’t think we should stop, but maybe we should slow down and be a little bit more purposeful,” Warnock told the Skyline.
She explained that her main concerns involve how these data centers can affect our desert ecosystem. Land use for the centers affects the ecosystem more than people realize; the groundwater supply can take a long time to recover, and the long-term effects are unknown.
“Since we’re going so fast and so big, we don’t have a chance to learn what those things might be until maybe we’ve done something that’s catastrophic to our desert ecosystems,” Warnock said.
Data centers, a centerpiece of AI technology, have become a key issue in upcoming mid-term elections.
“As someone whose ranch has been in operation for 100 years, I’d be devastated if its land went to something like an AI center,” said Sul Ross student Jordan Miller. The idea of large amounts of land and water being used to build data centers is alarming to many Texas landowners.
"The building of the center is taking away some of the last bit of open country for cattle in Texas,” Miller said.
Interim Director at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water, Billy Tarant, explained how he has been researching local ground water supply and patterns recently, in hopes of learning more.
“The igneous aquifer, which serves Alpine, Fort Davis, and Marfa is probably the least understood aquifer in the state.” he said, “We don’t really know enough about our water resources to really make the best decisions we can for our water future.”
According to Reuters Breaking World News, Governor Greg Abbot has directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to stop issuing data center permits until the effects on the Texas electric grid and water resources are audited. Brewster County has not approved any development agreements or made any decisions regarding the project moving forward as of now.