A peaceful anti-data center demonstration is scheduled to take place outside the Marriott Hotel in downtown Austin on September 2.

The hotel is the site of the DataCloud USA conference, where executives and investors will be discussing the future of artificial intelligence, data centers and digital infrastructure. Texas is one of the largest data center hubs in the country.

Kate Csillagi, communications director for the Save Our Springs Alliance, said state leaders are not doing enough to protect the state and its citizens.

"They want our water, our power, our land, our tax dollars. In Texas, they rolled out the red carpet for this infrastructure in terms of subsidies and tax rebates, and people are finally speaking out about it," Csillagi observed.

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Across Texas, local municipalities are drafting moratoriums and ordinances to stop or slow down the construction of data centers. Supporters said data centers contribute to local economies through construction jobs, permanent technical roles and property tax revenue to fund schools, roads and public services.

Governor Greg Abbott has issued a rural data center moratorium requiring developers to reuse water, lower electricity costs and avoid disrupting residential neighborhoods. Csillagi argued the pause does not go far enough.

"We want Texas leaders to set clear limits on new data center development and also ban anything above a certain scale," Csillagi emphasized.

The Austin City Council is drafting regulations for data centers. Csillagi noted the Save Our Springs Alliance and others have specific guidelines they have proposed to the council, which could be used as a framework for other cities across the state.

"Capping data centers at 20 megawatts of energy demand, capping it at 100,000 square feet of building space and five acres of a total site," Csillagi outlined. "Noise limits. People aren't able to sleep. It's like noise pollution."