THE TEXAS TRIBUNE

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.

By the XAi desk · Published · 1 min read

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Why this matters

For the 806

Data centers are being built across Texas, and the permits that let crews start clearing and grading land were going through a system that approved some of them automatically. If you live near a proposed site, this is the step that decides when the dirt work begins. What this means for any specific project near Lubbock is not stated in the reporting.

What we know

  • TCEQ shut down its online permit application system, the State of Texas Environmental Electronic Reporting System, known as STEERS.
  • TCEQ spokespeople said applications must now be physically provided to the agency so staff can determine if they are related to data centers.
  • Public Citizen and FracTracker Alliance said TCEQ approved construction stormwater permits for large projects tied to data centers.
  • The groups said that after they publicized their findings, the agency suspended at least 17 stormwater and wastewater permits for data center projects.
  • Abbott told TCEQ a month earlier to stop issuing all permits related to data center projects while other agencies and ERCOT gathered information on water and power use.
  • Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, said TCEQ has not taken and will not take any proactive actions related to approving data center permits.

What we don't know

  • Only one authoritative outlet found so far — no second independent source yet.
  • Exact event date not confirmed — publicationDate used as the best-known date.
  • It is unknown how long the online system will stay disabled.
  • It is unknown which specific projects or companies the suspended permits cover.
  • It is unknown whether any data center sites in the Lubbock area are affected.
  • It is unknown whether construction already underway at affected sites has actually stopped.
  • It is unknown what the state audit of data center water and power use will conclude, or when.

Sources

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