Dinosaur Park Threatened by AI Data Center

A significant controversy has erupted over a proposed 2,600-acre AI data center adjacent to Texas's Dinosaur Valley State Park. The development plan by NRG Energy includes numerous large server buildings and natural gas power plants, raising alarm bells among local residents and environmental advocates.

Protests have intensified due to fears that the construction could irrevocably damage the park's 100 million-year-old dinosaur footprints and natural landscape. The project's potential impact on critical wildlife habitats and migratory paths for endangered species, such as the Golden-cheeked Warbler, is also a major point of contention.

Further concerns center on the substantial water requirements. The proposed power plants alone could consume an estimated 16.5 million gallons of water daily, exacerbating existing water shortages in the Lone Star State. While one water district has declined to supply the project, alternative water sources are being explored, raising further environmental worries.

Community members are actively campaigning against the project, contacting state officials and urging them to deny the necessary air quality permits. Efforts are underway to encourage counties to implement moratoriums on industrial projects, though legal challenges to such pauses are anticipated. The debate highlights a growing tension between technological advancement and the preservation of natural and historical heritage.