Texas Policy Research Opposes Fort Worth Data Center Moratorium

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As the Fort Worth City Council prepares to consider a proposed moratorium on new data center development, Texas Policy Research (TPR) has submitted the attached letter encouraging council members to reject the proposal.

While residents have raised legitimate concerns regarding noise, water consumption, electrical infrastructure, traffic, and compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods, a blanket moratorium is the wrong policy response. Local governments have numerous planning and zoning tools available to address specific impacts without suspending the lawful use of private property.

Texas Policy Research believes that protecting private property rights and fostering free enterprise are essential to Texas's continued economic success. Temporary prohibitions on lawful development create uncertainty for landowners, employers, and investors while setting a precedent that extends far beyond a single industry. As emerging technologies continue to reshape the economy, governments should respond with clear, predictable, and narrowly tailored standards rather than temporary freezes on development.

Our position is also consistent with our broader framework for data center policy. We have consistently maintained that large electricity users should bear the costs they impose on public infrastructure and should not shift those costs onto existing ratepayers. At the same time, responsible infrastructure planning and strong private property rights are complementary principles, not competing ones. Protecting taxpayers does not require restricting the lawful development of private property.

The attached letter outlines TPR's recommendations to the Fort Worth City Council and explains why we believe clear rules, rather than moratoriums, represent the best path forward for both property owners and neighboring communities.

Download the full letter below.

Additional Commentary on Data Center Policy

Texas Policy Research has published extensive analysis on the rapid growth of data centers in Texas, the challenges they present for the state's electric grid, and the public policy decisions surrounding their development.

Our position has remained consistent: Texas should protect private property rights and free enterprise while ensuring that large electricity users pay the costs they impose on the electric system. Rather than relying on moratoriums, bans, or corporate subsidies, policymakers should pursue clear, predictable rules that encourage investment, protect taxpayers, and preserve the state's competitive business climate.

Explore our recent commentary below:

• Data Centers Are Not the Problem. Bad Policy Is.
• Texas AI Data Center Debate: Growth vs Regulation (Part One)
• Texas AI Data Centers: Build Energy, Not Barriers (Part Two)
• Texas Senate Lawmakers Reexamine Data Center Tax Breaks
• Texas PUC Responds to Abbott on Data Centers
• The Hood County Data Center Lawsuit: What's Next?
• Governor Abbott's Rural Data Center Proposal
• Abbott's Data Center Directive
• Legislative Testimony on Data Centers & Energy Infrastructure:
  • House Committee on State Affairs Meeting 4.9.2026 (Data Centers & Infrastructure)
  • House Committee on State Affairs Meeting 4.23.2026 (Implementation of Senate Bill 6)
  • House Committee on State Affairs Meeting 5.6.2026 (Microgrids & Distributed Energy Resources)
  • House Committee on Natural Resources Meeting 6.23.2026 (Data Center Water Use & Conservation)

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