Meanwhile, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. said county engineering officials are in “pre-permitting” discussions with two companies interested in developing data center projects within the county.
Just outside the city limit line near Valley International Airport, Eneus Energy last year proposed development of a 1,785-acre data center project inside Cameron County.
Last September, as part of the proposed project, the Harlingen WaterWorks board entered into an agreement potentially supplying as much as 4.6 million gallons of sewer water a day to run a data center in exchange for as much as $1.2 million a year.
During Wednesday’s meeting, city commissioners called for an environmental impact study.
“The city commission has recently become aware of increasing interest in the siting and development of high-intensity data processing facilities, commonly referred to as data centers, within the city and surrounding region,” the ordinance setting the moratorium states.
“Such facilities are characterized by extremely large electrical loads, intensive mechanical cooling systems, large building footprints, specialized infrastructure and long-term development patterns that may significantly affect municipal planning decisions,” the ordinance states. “The city commission finds that such facilities may impose substantial and unique demands upon municipal infrastructure, including water supply capacity, wastewater systems, electrical coordination, transportation infrastructure and emergency services.”
During the 120-day moratorium period, city officials are planning “a comprehensive evaluation of the potential impacts” stemming from data centers, the ordinance states.
“This review shall include a detailed assessment of the potential demands such facilities may place on municipal infrastructure, including the city’s potable water supply, wastewater collection and treatment systems, electrical service coordination with regional utility providers and other critical public infrastructure necessary to support municipal services and long-term community needs,” the ordinance states.
“The city shall also evaluate the land-use compatibility of such facilities, including their building scale, mechanical and electrical infrastructure, noise and operational characteristics and their relationship to surrounding land uses and the city’s adopted comprehensive plan.”
During the meeting’s public comment period, residents spoke out, calling on commissioners to protect resources such as water and energy.
“Data centers are coming to the state of Texas in big numbers,” Mayor Norma Sepulveda said before commissioners cast their vote. “They’re going to continue to come and there may be an ‘ask’ at some point to voluntarily annex into the city of Harlingen, and we don’t have the zoning for that. Should one want to annex, we can’t say, ‘Well, hold on, we need six months and figure out what the zoning is going to be.’ We have a responsibility to be prepared.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner Daniel Lopez called for an environmental impact study.
“We want an environment expert to look at this and give us some feedback,” he told commissioners. “I want to make sure we are as well versed in this industry as we can be so that we can make the best educated decisions we can.”
Commissioner Frank Morales said he planned to call on commissioners to extend the moratorium, noting the state Legislature’s planning to address the industry’s development next year.
During discussion, Commissioner Michael Mezmar, who cast the lone dissenting vote against setting the moratorium, told commissioners the matter has become Cameron County’s issue, warning the call for a moratorium sends a message the city stands in the way of new industry.
“To use a legal term, this whole thing is mute,” he told commissioners. “It has nothing to do with Harlingen. If you got concerns, complaints, take it to the county. By voting for this, we’re sending a message to the world that we, too, are socialists and we hate capitalism and we hate buildings and we hate all of this stuff.”
Amid discussion, Commissioner Rene Perez called the setting of the moratorium “responsible government.”
Late Wednesday, Treviño said county engineering officials are in discussion with two companies interested in developing data center projects in the county.
“At this time, Cameron County engineering has held preliminary pre-permitting discussions with two data center firms, which is a standard part of the process for many industries exploring potential development opportunities within the county,” Treviño said in a statement. “While these conversations indicate there is interest in Cameron County as a possible location, no formal development timelines have been communicated and no permit applications for data center construction or development have been submitted to the county.”
Meanwhile, county officials are “not willing” to offer tax abatements to companies developing data centers, he said.
“We share the public’s concerns regarding data centers, particularly their impact on water usage, energy demand, land consumption and the long-term effects these facilities may have on residents, the environment and the future of Cameron County,” Treviño said. “The rapid expansion and construction of data centers has significantly outpaced existing legislation and regulatory authority, and we believe it is important to acknowledge that reality.”
In April, county commissioners passed a resolution calling on the state Legislature to give counties more authority to regulate industries.
“Cameron County is currently one of only a handful of counties in Texas taking direct action to advocate for stronger local authority in this area,” Treviño said. “Through this resolution, we not only expressed our concerns but also formally called upon the Texas Legislature to provide counties with greater ability to regulate and define industries that place substantial demands on local infrastructure and natural resources.”
Amid growth, officials are protecting the county’s water and energy resources, Treviño said.
“As a rapidly growing county, Cameron County must ensure that our current and future residents continue to have access to reliable and affordable water and power resources,” he said. “We remain actively engaged in discussions with community members regarding their concerns about the possibility of data centers locating in Cameron County and I will continue advocating on behalf of our residents and their long-term interests.”
© 2026 Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
