Harris County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday, Oct. 15 to require early notification when data centers seek permits, but officials acknowledged the county cannot stop the facilities from being built.

"The short answer right now is the county has little to no authority to stop them," Commissioner Lesley Briones said at an Oct. 15 news conference, according to KPRC 2.

That matters in Spring and other unincorporated communities, where the county is the primary governing body. Harris County has no zoning laws, meaning officials cannot regulate where data centers are located, County Attorney Abbie Kamin said.

The county has 46 operating data centers, with at least six more in development, according to officials. Agenda documents cited by Community Impact put the total at 55 when planned and under-construction facilities are included. Harris County ranks second in Texas behind Dallas County, per a county press release.

What commissioners approved

The three measures, introduced by Briones, direct county departments to act on three fronts.

First, the county engineer, flood control and fire marshal's offices must notify Commissioners Court when a major data center submits a traffic impact analysis, permit application or fire code plan review. The goal is earlier warning about projects heading into neighborhoods.

Second, the County Attorney's Office will report on what regulatory authority the county already holds over data center development.

Third, the county's Office of Intergovernmental and Global Affairs will identify and push for changes to state law that would give counties more oversight in unincorporated areas. The Texas Legislature's next session begins in January 2027.

The measures do not ban or halt any projects, KHOU 11 reported.

Why it could hit your electric bill

CenterPoint Energy expects to connect eight gigawatts of new data center demand in the Houston area by 2029, with about four more gigawatts to follow, Kamin said at the news conference. That growth could increase peak electricity demand across CenterPoint's service area by about 50%.

The impact is already a concern. Commissioner Adrian Garcia said residents are asking questions about electricity bills, water costs and the broader effects of rapid development. He said the upcoming legislative session will be an opportunity to regain some local control.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis said in a statement that large data centers can strain the power grid and water supplies, drive up electricity bills and expose nearby neighborhoods to noise, heat and air pollution, KHOU 11 reported.

State action already underway

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in September to pause all environmental permits for data centers until the state completes an audit, Houston Public Media reported. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) expects to finish that audit in December.

Kamin said the county is also monitoring whether counties can impose a moratorium on data center development. She said the county is awaiting a determination from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Briones said the county is working with other Texas counties through the Conference of Urban Counties to develop a legislative agenda. Potential proposals include requirements for closed-loop cooling systems, minimum distances between data centers and homes, and noise limits. Those are proposals. The county has not adopted them.

Residents can track Commissioners Court agendas and submit public comment through the Harris County website.