Democrats’ sweep of Texas elections has raised the prospect of environmental policy changes in a state that has been under Republican control for more than 30 years and is a major center of the U.S. oil and gas industry. The potential changes include new safeguards for data center development, action to lower energy costs and, over time, appointments to key state regulatory agencies.
Democrats won the governor’s race and both chambers of the state Legislature. Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, while James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race. Democrat Jon Rosenthal also won one of three seats on the Railroad Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulator.
The rapid expansion of data centers used for artificial intelligence emerged as a prominent election issue. The facilities consume large amounts of electricity, and experts said concerns over their water use and other local impacts helped fuel voter opposition. Hinojosa campaigned on an immediate pause on new data centers, while Abbott had previously encouraged investment before issuing a set of stricter directives.
Adrian Shelley, Texas director of Public Citizen, said the election indicated an appetite for reform and a mandate to rein in the data center industry. A University of Houston survey published shortly before Election Day found that nearly 80 percent of Texas voters supported a policy limiting how many data centers could be built in the state.
The industry is likely to remain active in Texas, according to analysis firm Wood Mackenzie, which cited the state’s renewable resources, natural gas infrastructure and regulatory independence from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Data Center Coalition said its members would continue working with residents and local officials, arguing that data centers can bring investment, jobs and tax revenue to communities.
Hinojosa will appoint commissioners to agencies including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Public Utility Commission and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Environment Texas executive director Luke Metzger said new appointees could take a more forceful approach to air-quality enforcement, industrial water pollution and land conservation.
Hinojosa’s previous record includes a 2021 proposal with Democratic colleagues for a Texas Climate Plan comprising 41 bills to reduce carbon emissions and increase regulation of the fossil fuel industry. One measure proposed a 25 percent tax on gas flared at production sites, but it did not reach a vote in the House.
Cyrus Reed, legislative director for the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter, said the combination of a new Railroad Commission member, potential appointments to other agencies and a stronger Democratic presence in the Legislature could create opportunities to address pollution. He also said Texas lacks state rules and a statewide implementation plan for methane pollution.
Sources: Inside Climate News.