San Antonio Tightens Data Center Rules as Oklahoma City Approves Project

San Antonio’s City Council voted 9-2 to require council approval for each new data center and restrict them to heavy commercial and industrial zones, while continuing to bar them from the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. Supporters cited residents’ concerns about power and water use, noise and air quality, while opponents warned the rules could drive investment and jobs elsewhere. In Oklahoma City, the council voted 6-3 to rezone 294 acres for Beltline Energy’s proposed $9 billion data center campus near Interstate 40 and Frisco Road, subject to conditions and further agreements. Residents raised concerns about noise, water supplies and loss of agricultural land; the zoning terms also address water, electricity and noise, and the company’s attorney called them unusually restrictive. Mayor David Holt said the application predated the city’s data-center moratorium, making the approval a one-off rather than a precedent, and additional agreements must be finalized before construction can begin.