Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) is criticizing Gov. Greg Abbott's response to the state's data center boom, calling the governor's recent actions "smoke and mirrors" and saying Abbott "may lose" his reelection.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Miller said he previously urged Abbott to impose a one-year moratorium on new data centers, call a special legislative session, and return campaign contributions from data center interests. Miller said Abbott rejected those proposals.
"He's responding to polls because now he sees what I saw - that this is a campaign issue, and he's got a hell of a lot closer race than he ever thought he'd have," said Miller.
Abbott has taken several recent steps to address data center growth. On September 21, he directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt permits sought by data centers until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas completes its audit. He also directed state agencies to examine data centers' electricity and water use, infrastructure costs, and reliance on public incentives.
Miller said those measures do not go far enough.
"This is one of those issues that's giving him pain, so in response to the polls, he's trying to look like he's doing something. It's really just smoke and mirrors," said Miller.
He also questioned the effect of the TCEQ permit halt on projects that already have permits.
"Even though he stopped TCEQ from issuing new permits, that doesn't do anything to the other four or five hundred that have already got them," said Miller.
He also criticized Abbott over campaign contributions, saying Abbott "wouldn't do anything for a long time, other than take $21 million from data center interests."
Abbott has said data centers must pay their own infrastructure costs, protect Texas's water and power systems, and avoid shifting costs onto residential customers.
