Controversy surrounding data center construction has roiled Texas in recent months, fostering a bipartisan coalition of opposition, particularly among rural and suburban residents. With at least 248 planned data center projects and 335 in operation, Texas is poised to become a leader in data center development. A Catholic, he wonders if data centers are akin to the apple in the Garden of Eden. Last month, Clarendon resident Maria Miller asked members of the Texans United Against Data Centers Facebook group to pray against data centers. Flowers are silhouetted against lights from the Stargate data center in Abilene on May 2, 2026.