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Alex Ford

Advocacy groups and community members protest laws surrounding data centers while outside the Texas Capitol in Austin Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Protestors are advocating for counties to gain legal authority to regulate data center development or enact a statewide pause until protections are in place. (Mikala Compton/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

Officials powerless to stop 8 new data centers that could transform small Texas county

Alejandra Martinez, Alex Ford, Apurva Mahajan, Shelby Tauber