Fort Worth, Texas, held the first of two required public hearings on November 10 on a proposed 90-day pause on new data center development, according to CBS Texas. No vote was taken at the session. A second hearing is tentatively scheduled for January 12, with a possible council vote in February.
The proposal comes as the city weighs new limits on where and how data centers can be built. At the hearing, a city commission led by Michael Slattery, director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at Texas Christian University, presented 19 recommendations developed after months of study on power, water and effects on nearby communities. The recommendations include requiring non-evaporative, closed-loop cooling systems to conserve water, zoning standards intended to protect residential neighborhoods, noise limits that account for surrounding areas, and a pilot study of low-frequency noise. The commission drew on about 1,500 resident surveys along with numerous conversations.
"I think it would give the city a roadmap on how to move forward," Slattery said of the commission's report.
Dozens of residents spoke during the hearing, raising concerns about environmental effects, quality of life and the pace of development. Resident Ellis Maxwell cited a data center planned about a mile from his home and said he wants lasting changes rather than a temporary measure. Resident Brian Patman said projects are being moved through the approval process before regulations exist to govern them.
The CBS Texas report did not include comments from data center developers or industry groups. The report also did not specify which projects the proposed pause would cover or whether any exemptions would apply. The city council will consider the measure after the second hearing.
Source: CBS Texas - https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/fort-worth-data-centers-90-day-moratorium-residents-concerns-november-2026/