Leon County Judge Byron Ryder sent an email on January 17, 2026 to multiple state and federal officials regarding the proposed data center near Marquez, Texas.
Summary of the Email In the message, Judge Ryder states that:
On November 4, 2025, representatives from Belltown Power entered his office at the Leon County Courthouse and informed him they had options on land near Marquez, Texas, to build a data center. This was the first time he had heard of the plan. Leon County currently has several solar farms but no data centers. Residents in the proposed Marquez area are strongly opposed to the project. Major concerns include: Large water usage Large power usage Potential health impacts Loss of agricultural land Possible harm to cattle, calves, and hay production Judge Ryder explicitly asks that no incentives be offered at the state or national level for this project. He states that not all economic development is good development and requests a timely response. Why This Matters This email shows that the county judge has directly communicated opposition to offering incentives for the proposed data center and has documented community concerns to higher-level officials.
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