Texas Shifts Against Crypto-Friendly Data Centers Amid Growing Backlash

A backlash against energy-intensive data center projects is growing in Texas, fueled by a Greenpeace-backed campaign and grassroots activists. The movement has shifted public sentiment statewide, with a University of Texas poll from June 2026 showing that 56% of Texans oppose data center construction in their communities.

The resistance isn't just talk, at least 75 data center projects worth $130 billion were stalled or blocked during the first quarter of 2026. Hill County enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center construction after sustained public outcry.

Greenpeace and over 520 organizations, including Greenpeace USA, sent a letter to Congress demanding a national moratorium on new data centers tied to unregulated AI and cryptocurrency growth. They argue that data centers consume vast amounts of water and electricity, which Texas already struggles to manage.