SAN ANTONIO – Data centers are going up all over Texas. But two data centers being built on San Antonio’s far west side are meeting with resistance from homeowners and environmental groups because they’re both constructing natural gas power plants and setting up dozens of diesel generators right next to neighborhoods.
The News 4 I-Team investigated allegations that the state is allowing the data centers to side-step pollution safeguards.
Environmental groups claim the state allowed the data centers to use a permitting loophole so they could avoid strict pollution controls and build power plants on-site without notifying nearby homeowners.
“At first I thought it was a medical center, maybe a university building,” said homeowner David Thompson.
Thompson says he found out a couple of weeks ago the towering structure being built across the road from his home is a natural gas plant that will provide power for a massive data center owned by a company called Vantage.
“I’m just concerned about the local environmental impact. Were they following regulations? Is it going to be safe for my family, my daughter, who was just born last year?” Thompson said.
Vantage is building two data center complexes.
The one on Omicron Drive next to Thompson’s neighborhood will have two data center buildings, a natural gas power plant, and 86 diesel generators.
A second data center between Rogers Road and Highway 151 will have a similar layout.
Environmental groups say the two sites will produce enough energy to power a city the size of Richmond, Virginia.
“We believe that these are major sources of air pollution and should be appropriately permitted as such,” said Kathryn Guerra with Public Citizen, who used to work at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Guerra says the plants should be treated as major sources of air pollution, which must install stringent pollution controls before building, and engage with nearby residents.
Instead, Public Citizen says Vantage received a minor pollution source permit from the state, the type commonly given to dry cleaners, gas stations and auto body shops..
“San Antonio and Bexar County already have bad air quality that fails to meet the national ambient air quality standards and so this pollution is only going to make it worse for those communities,” Guerra said.
Governor Greg Abbott has called for data centers to build their own power plants rather than put a strain on the Texas power grid.
“Any AI data center even thinking about coming here, they got to bring their own money, bring their own power,” Abbott said.
The news organization Floodlight shot thermal imaging drone video of a data center in Abilene, which has a natural gas power plant built under a minor pollution source permit.
Environmental groups claim these emissions shown in the thermal image video can contribute to ground-level ozone pollution and contain formaldehyde which can cause cancer.
Public Citizen and the Sierra Club have threatened to sue the Vantage data centers in San Antonio and its partner in building the power plants VoltaGrid. Neither company responded to our requests for comment and so far, TCEQ hasn’t either.
“Companies need to ensure that what they’re doing isn’t adversely affecting the neighborhoods they’re putting themselves into,” Thompson said as he held his young daughter in his front yard looking across at the power plant.
Residents will finally get a chance to give their input next month at a hearing as Vantage tries to get its final, Federal Operating Permit.
Environmental groups claim at that point in the process it’s often too late to change anything.
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