GRIMES COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — Local leaders are considering a proposed data center and more near Iola, but Grimes County residents are raising concerns that the area has no development guidelines to show the way.
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Geronimo Power, a company out of Minnesota, recently reached out to the county judge and the mayor of Iola. The company let them know it has leased land somewhere on FM 1696 and is looking to buy or rent even more land.
This land may be developed for a data center, a solar farm and a natural gas plant. The proposal has Grimes County neighbors concerned about the future of their community.
"The problem we have right now in Grimes County is we need a plan. We need a development plan, We have no standards by which we're developing the the community and by not having standards we're open to anything," said local resident Richard Gremillion.
Neighbors are also worried about the potential environmental impact and the strain on local resources.
"I'm really worried about our water and I'm really worried about the environmental. I don't think this is gonna work in Grimes County right. I'm really worried about our resources," Perry Sharboneau said.
"There is no such thing as a true closed water system. They're going to be pumping water into that system continuously to keep the volume of flow to the maximum level that it needs," Betty Moore said.
Even with no formal plan in place, neighbors hope financial decisions could either push the project along or hit the brakes.
"We believe that there has not been a data center installed in the United States yet that has not been given tax abatements. Tax abatements are the easiest way to stop this," Julie Hernandez said.
I am at the Justice Center, where one neighbor told me the county needs to be prepared with a plan going forward.
"So let's set the bar high. Let's get the kind of development that we want that's good for our people, that's good for our communities, that preserves our rural character, which is very important to a lot of us," Gremillion said.
For information on public meetings being held by Grimes County Citizens for Responsible Development, go to https://www.gccrd.org/
For information about Grimes County Commissioners Court, go to https://grimescountytexas.gov/commissioners-court
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