Tech

Portal Texas Used to ‘Rubber Stamp’ Data Centers Down After 404 Media Reporting

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 22/10/2026, 20:28:23 UTC.

Briefings

Texas shut down its STEERS portal and suspended 17 data center construction permits after 404 Media reported the state continued issuing approvals despite Governor Greg Abbott's September pause order. Researchers at FracTracker Alliance and Public Citizen documented the permits, noting the site was moved from active to suspended status. Sam Law, a researcher, stated the agency 'rubber stamped' approvals including for OpenAI and Amazon, and expressed concern that contractors accustomed to automation would not be aware of the suspension.

Key points

• Texas shut down the STEERS portal and suspended 17 data center construction permits after 404 Media reported the state continued issuing approvals despite Governor Greg Abbott's September pause order.
• Researchers at FracTracker Alliance and Public Citizen documented the permits, noting the site was moved from active to suspended status, and expressed concern that contractors accustomed to automation would not be aware of the suspension.

Context

The finding matters because it reveals a significant gap between state regulatory intent and automated enforcement, potentially allowing large hyperscale facilities to proceed with stormwater construction approvals without proper human review.

Limitations

Evidence covers only 17 suspended permits and 17 reported permits; no additional permits are confirmed. State response was not provided, and the specific impact on construction timelines remains unquantified.

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