December 24, 2025
A major data center development proposed for rural Leon County, Texas, has ignited significant local opposition, highlighting the growing tension between rapid digital infrastructure expansion and community-led environmental conservation efforts. The project underscores a critical challenge for the industry as it seeks new, power-rich locations, often bringing large-scale industrial operations into conflict with established rural communities and ecologies.
Belltown Power, the company behind the initiative known as the “Kahla Project,” plans to construct a massive 1,500-megawatt data center facility on private land near Marquez. The scale of the project, which would consume power equivalent to that needed for over a million homes, has alarmed residents who fear profound impacts on the local landscape, air quality, and wildlife. The area is currently characterized by pastureland and is home to multiple endangered species.
Local opposition has been vocal and organized. Resident Daniel McCoslin articulated widespread concerns, stating, “We’re hoping that the EPA and TCEQ can help file lawsuits against these companies because the quality of air that these data centers emit and the danger to the environment, we have 11 endangered species that exist in Leon County.” While Leon County Judge Byron Ryder acknowledged the community’s energy and natural resource concerns, he expressed uncertainty about the county’s legal authority to block the project. “We can make it difficult for them, and we probably will make it difficult for them, but we really can’t keep them from coming if they want to come,” Ryder said.
Despite the legal uncertainties, residents are preparing for a prolonged campaign. McCoslin vowed continued resistance, saying, “We’ll make a stand until they run bulldozers through the pastures, and it’s going to be a long, drawn-out fight for us. It’s not something that any of us are willing to give up on.” The situation in Leon County serves as a prominent case study for the data center industry, signaling that securing power and land is only one part of the equation. Gaining social license to operate in new regions may require more proactive community engagement and transparent environmental planning to mitigate backlash and potential regulatory delays.
Source: KBTX
Texas County Faces Grassroots Backlash Over Proposed 1,500-Megawatt Data Center
