Willie Nelson Lashes Out at AI Data Center Construction in Texas: ‘Loud, Water-Thieving, Light Polluting’

The country icon is concerned that the water and energy-swallowing centers are an existential threat to his hometown of Abbott, Texas.

The request comes after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and Electric Reliability Council of Texas to further regulate data centers’ use of the power grid.

Hi, Chester County! 👋There’s been a lot of push and pull as developers look to move ahead with a data center on a former Superfund site in East Whiteland Township. We break down the proposals and what comes next. Also this week, local mushroom farmers are at odds over a national policy, two county school districts are

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Sam Altman said on a podcast that he understands the backlash to AI data centers. The CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI said data centers should be built away from communities. "We should just go put it off in the desert, around no one where no one wants to be," he said. Sa

"The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints," the musician wrote. "It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land"

Willie Nelson has spoken out against the construction of data centers across America, releasing a statement encouraging citizens to fight the proliferation of facilities that “only destroy the environment around them.” The country legend published an open letter on social media describing how he grew up in Abbott, Texa

BlackRock-managed funds will own 80% of the venture, with Meta retaining 20% and leasing back the entire campus

July 28 : Nvidia has signed leases worth up to $50 billion for Hut 8's Texas data center, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing five people familiar with the deal.Hut 8 said last week its 1-gigawatt Beacon Point campus had a base-term contract value of $19.6 billion over 15 years, rising to as much as $50.2 b

Nvidia behind $50 billion lease on Texas data center, FT reports  Reuters

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Monday, readers! We hope you all had a restful weekend. The House is out of town, but the Senate remains in D.C. for two more weeks before the scheduled August recess to take on several key legislative priorities.  But, as for tomorrow, the memorial service for Republica

Also, PUC prepares for data centers and the Texas Medical Association calls for legislative action on prediction market apps.