A new coalition releases records and seeks a pause on water-deal agreements fueling AI data center expansion in Texas.

A statewide coalition called "We the People Texas," including the Texas NAACP and organizations such as Save Rural Texas, launched at the Texas Capitol to release public records about data-center water negotiations and call for a pause and review of water commitments. The coalition says its documents detail water commitments it believes are connected to data-center development and raise questions about how publicly owned water sources are being negotiated and committed across the state.

The announcement arrives as Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is slowing data-center development while the state gathers information about water use, power demand, and permits. During a visit to Palestine, Texas last week, Abbott stated: "They must provide their own water so that they're not taking needed water from our local communities."

The governor's office has directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to gather information about potential effects data centers could have on the state and local communities. ERCOT is asking developers about power demand, water sources, water use, cooling technology, and community impacts.

Abbott announced an immediate halt: "All data centers that need any type of permit are at an absolute halt until we get back all the information that we need."

According to Cleanview's map, Texas has 139 operating data centers and 371 planned facilities. Central questions include where projects will secure water, how much water they could use, and what the records reveal about the use of publicly owned water sources.