Community meeting sees packed house against Meta Data Center

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The City of El Paso is hosting 6 community meetings over the next two weeks as they make new policy framework for data centers in the city.

The first one was held at the Don Haskins Rec Center in West El Paso. Nearly 100 people were inside as they all were against the Meta data center in the Northeast.

"I hope the city will revisit this issue and work with the city attorney to cancel that 480 agreement with the data center people," said Kathy Staudt. She lives in the city and was one of many who was very vocal against the data center.

"Why should big tech corporations profit as our water and energy gets depleted?" she said.

One man who lives in West El Paso agreed with Staudt. He wanted the city to be able to see how many people are against the center.

"They should ask for a raise of hands and I think that would show how many people are against this."

The city said it would take City Council action to nullify the contracts, but that's exactly what Staudt wants to happen.

"We can do economic development in other ways. We don't have to sell our souls, our water and our energy to big tech corporations."