Hood County commissioners have given conditional approval to a massive 2,100-acre data center project despite vocal opposition from local residents concerned about environmental impacts, water usage, and quality of life issues.
The project, known as Comanche Circle and proposed by Sailfish, received the green light in a contentious county meeting that revealed deep divisions between officials citing economic development and residents worried about transforming their rural community. The facility would include on-site power generation along with water and wastewater management systems, with construction slated to begin this year and operations potentially starting as early as 2027.
Residents Push Back Against Industrial Growth
For many Hood County locals, the approval represents an unwelcome shift in their rural landscape. “We don’t live out here to live near anything industrial, and I knew it was going to affect the health of my kids. I am just beside myself,” said Joanne Carcamo, a Hood County resident who spoke against the project.
The commissioners’ decision comes amid mounting pressure from both sides. While project representatives urged approval, residents packed public meetings to express concerns about noise pollution, environmental degradation, and the proximity of industrial facilities to their homes.
Another resident told FOX 4: “We don’t have the money that the big companies do. Frankly, I don’t want the big money. I just want to live peacefully with a quality life where my children and my grandchildren can continue to live and enjoy the freedoms that we have living out in the rural areas.”
Moratorium Rejected Despite Community Support
What’s particularly frustrating for many residents is that county commissioners recently voted 3-2 against implementing a one-year moratorium on new industrial development, including data centers. The decision came after a state senator threatened legal action if such a pause were enacted.
County Attorney Matt Mills warned commissioners of potential legal consequences due to state law restrictions on local moratoriums. This legal pressure appears to have influenced the vote, despite significant community support for slowing development.
Rita Beving, an organizer with environmental watchdog group Public Citizen, warned: “Hood County is facing the potential buildout of four data centers. Failing to pass a moratorium will trigger the construction of several natural gas plants alongside these projects. The Hood County region may not have the water required to support these developments, and the county commissioners are putting vital resources at risk.”
Project Moves Forward With Conditions
Despite the concerns, Sailfish representatives have maintained that their project meets county standards. “The concept plan checks the boxes, it’s compliant with the existing Hood County standards and regulations at the time of submitting the concept plan, but it should indeed be improved,” a Sailfish representative named Hughes stated. “All I’m asking is Hood County approves the concept plan today and let the project continue.”
The commissioners did attach conditions to their approval, particularly regarding water usage, drainage plans, and power generation — three of the most contentious issues raised by residents.
But will these conditions be enough to address community concerns? Many residents don’t think so, arguing that the scale of the project — spanning 2,100 acres — inherently threatens the Paluxy Valley watershed and local groundwater supplies.
The Comanche Circle project is just one of six data centers currently proposed for Hood County, raising questions about the cumulative impact of such rapid industrial development in what has historically been a rural area.
For now, residents who opposed the project find themselves in a difficult position: watching as preparations begin for a massive industrial complex they fought to prevent, in a community they chose specifically for its rural character and natural environment.
