CleanSpark hosted a community meet and greet Friday evening at Millheim Harmonie Verein Hall, drawing a large crowd of Austin County residents interested in learning more about the company’s proposed data center project and asking questions about its potential impact on the area.
The company is proposing a 285-megawatt data center on approximately 271 acres in Austin County near Sealy. Company representatives have said only a portion of the overall property would be occupied by the data center itself. CleanSpark has also said it would construct its own electrical substation and pay for utility upgrades necessary to serve the facility. The company has presented the project as a potential source of additional tax revenue and opportunities for local businesses, contractors and workers. Those potential economic benefits have been part of the discussion surrounding the project, while some residents continue to raise questions about its possible effects on the rural area.
CleanSpark Community Night event was held from 5 to 7 p.m. and featured a series of informational stations where residents could speak directly with CleanSpark representatives about different aspects of the proposed development. Signs opposing the data center could be seen along the route leading to the hall. During the event, a caravan of farm equipment displaying messages opposing the proposed development also arrived at the hall, providing another visible demonstration of local opposition to the project. Despite differing opinions surrounding the proposal, the atmosphere inside the event remained civil. Many residents arrived with direct questions for CleanSpark representatives and received responses, although those responses did not necessarily resolve their concerns.
Water, Noise and Lighting Draw Attention
Among the most heavily visited stations during the evening were those addressing water use, noise and lighting — three issues that have emerged as significant concerns among residents. At the water station, CleanSpark representatives discussed the cooling system proposed for the facility. According to information provided by the company, the facility would use a closed-loop cooling system that is filled and then continuously recirculates the water. CleanSpark says the design would not use evaporative cooling towers and would require relatively little ongoing water use. Noise was another major topic of discussion. CleanSpark representatives provided information about acoustic studies, equipment placement, enclosures and other measures the company says would be used to reduce sound generated by the facility. Residents also visited a station dedicated to lighting, where representatives discussed plans for directional lighting, shielded fixtures and other measures intended to reduce glare and light extending beyond the property. Other stations addressed data center infrastructure, potential economic and tax impacts, local business opportunities and employment associated with construction and longer-term operations.
Data Centers Facing Increased State Scrutiny
The local discussion comes as data center development is receiving increased scrutiny across Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has established standards and guidelines for data center projects and directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to examine proposed developments as part of the state review process. The state review includes projected electricity demand, water sources and consumption, water reuse and cooling technology. Developers are also being asked to provide information about noise mitigation, lighting, setbacks, traffic, emergency response, public financial incentives and measures intended to reduce impacts on neighboring property owners and communities. The standards also call for data centers to pay for electrical infrastructure needed to serve their facilities rather than shifting those costs to other Texas ratepayers. On August 12, 2026, Governor Abbott’s office specifically announced that CleanSpark had committed to comply with the governor’s data center standards and guidelines. The state action is not a blanket ban on data center development. However, the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT are required to receive and audit information from proposed projects before they can move forward through the state approval process. Many of the issues included in the governor’s standards closely mirrored the concerns being discussed by Austin County residents Friday evening, particularly water consumption, noise, lighting, electrical demand and the potential effect on surrounding properties.
Community Discussion Continues
CleanSpark described Community Night as an opportunity to answer questions, discuss the project with residents and establish communication with the community as development moves forward. Friday night demonstrated that interest in the proposal is significant and that opinions remain divided. While some residents came primarily seeking information, others made their opposition visible through signs and the caravan of farm equipment arriving at the hall. Inside, residents had the opportunity to speak directly with company representatives, ask questions and hear CleanSpark’s explanations of how it believes the proposed facility could operate within Austin County.
As the project moves forward amid increased state scrutiny of data center development, questions surrounding water, noise, lighting, electrical demand and the overall impact on the community will remain central to the discussion in Austin County.
