Texas environmental agency shuts off online permit system after data center permit flap

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has disabled its online permit filing system, STEERS, after watchdog groups said the agency approved stormwater permits tied to data center construction despite Gov. Greg Abbott's order to pause data center permits. TCEQ says applications must now be delivered physically so staff can check whether they are related to data centers. The agency says it has suspended the data center permits the groups identified.