Texas lawmakers said they are working to address the impact of artificial intelligence growth and data-center expansion on rural communities, with a focus on water and electricity use.

Republican state legislators said that Texas offers space for new data centers but rapid development could strain local resources and disrupt rural life.

"We understand that AI infrastructure is about more than local economics, and we support it," Texas state Rep. Helen Kerwin told The Daily Signal.

"We have to support it to stay ahead in the race, but not at the cost of future generations having water issues and power issues."

Kerwin said concerns grew after speaking with a third-generation farmer who feared losing family land to data center development.

"He wants to carry on the family tradition, but then he said to me, 'What happens if I turn them down but my neighbor accepts the offer?'"

Texas state Rep. Mitch Little said he sees significant concern about the impact of data centers on rural lifestyles.

"There's a rising fear generally about the use and deployment of AI," Little said, "and how it's going to reformat our culture and employment of people writ large.

"So I think there's that inherent fear, and then there's the 'Not in my backyard' fear of 'I don't want a giant glowing hum like right next to my house.'"

A recent Electric Power Research Institute analysis found data centers could increase their share of U.S. electricity use from about 4.5% today to between 9% and 17% by 2030.

In Texas, residents are especially focused on water and electricity demands tied to new development.

State Sen. Angela Paxton said, "Texans in general are always worried about electricity and water, and to the extent that they're just mindful of that. These are not unlimited resources for us here in Texas."

Kerwin said she is hearing from landowners, families, and local leaders about the pace of development.

"I'm getting calls and texts from landowners, families, local leaders, especially agriculture," she said, "who are very concerned about what this level of rapid development means for their water, their land, their power, even their communities."

Paxton said federal leaders are encouraging domestic data center growth while emphasizing its benefits to Americans.

"He understands these companies that come, they need to bring value to Americans," she said, referring to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Paxton pointed to a federal "rate-payer protection pledge" requiring data centers to provide their own energy and infrastructure, while stressing the importance of state action.

"I actually think the states continuing to regulate can actually help provide a great blueprint for federal legislation going forward, if we can all work together," she said.

"I think we can have innovation and we can have regulation," Paxton said. "I don't think they're mutually exclusive."

Kerwin said she is considering a pause on new data center development to allow time for further study.

"Take a pause to learn about what kind of impact these hyper-scale data centers are going to have for future generations," she said.

"I think it's time that we establish just some guardrails so that we know how impactful they're going to be."

President Donald Trump told Newsmax that artificial intelligence will fuel a surge in U.S. job creation, accelerate medical breakthroughs and help the United States outpace China, while the economy remains strong.

During a recent interview with "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren," Trump pointed to manufacturing growth, tax cuts and rising employment as evidence that new technologies will benefit American workers despite concerns about automation.

"Well, you're really helping the workers because we're building plants all over the country," Trump said, "and when these plants open up, you're going to see a big surge."

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