Texas suspends 17 data center permits and disables automatic approvals

Texas has suspended 17 data center construction permits and shut down the electronic application used for automatic authorizations, Tom's Hardware reported. The action follows reports that approvals continued after Governor Greg Abbott called for a pause in September. The suspended permits cover stormwater construction, including raising and leveling ground, a required part of the state's construction approval process. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says the application is temporarily unavailable so agency staff can review whether submissions concern data centers. Projects for OpenAI and Amazon went through the system earlier this week, researcher Sam Law said. The broader audit concerns power use, water consumption and effects on surrounding communities.