Lufkin residents rally against proposed $1 billion data center

LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)– Lufkin residents gathered at City Hall today to protest a proposed $1 billion data center.

The facility planned by Denver-based developer Amp Z at the former Southland Paper Mill site, faces opposition over concerns about water usage, local infrastructure impact and potential noise. The proposed facility is located outside city limits and the Lufkin City Council did not address the matter during its meeting.

The Amp Z project is a one billion dollar data center intended for a 1,000-acre site. While the land purchase for the development is complete, the project remains in negotiation and planning phases. City officials have stated the facility would use approximately 500 gallons of water daily, utilizing a closed-loop system for water reuse.

Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, people stood outside city hall, marching, chanting and holding signs to express their opposition to the data center. Residents also raised concerns regarding the potential strain on local infrastructure and the noise levels once the vast 1,000-acre facility becomes operational. Christina Perez, a community organizer, voiced the broader implications of such development.

“This isn’t the only data set; this is just one of many that will probably come to Lufkin and the East Texas area,” Perez said. “For a lot of people, this is just home. It’s something that is replaceable and once we take all these things away, it’s going to be hard to get them back.”

The group of residents plans to present their concerns about the data center project to the Angelina County Commissioners Court. The project is still in the negotiation and planning phases.