Gael Espinoza/THE RIDER
Residents attended the Brownsville City Commission Meeting on Tuesday opposing the rumored building of an AI data center in the city.
A total of 26 citizens signed up to speak during the public comment period to give a statement to the commission about the rumors of an AI data center and to adopt a moratorium.
Rumors of Advent Global Solutions Data Center Technician job position at 7480 Padre Island Highway in Brownsville were posted on Facebook Tuesday. As of press time, The Rider could not verify if the job post is accurate.
In a July 29 Facebook post, the City of Brownsville stated “the Specific Use Permit request for a proposed data center at 7480 Padre Island Highway, listed as Public Hearing Item No. 3 on the Aug. 6 Planning and Zoning Commission agenda, has been withdrawn by the applicant.”
Brownsville resident Annelise Rosas said during her three-minute comment period, that she was representing mothers who could not attend.
“When I hold my daughter and sit outside, I find myself admiring the things that make Brownsville beautiful,” Rosas said. “I’m scared that my baby will grow up and see a Brownsville that I don’t recognize. … I’m here representing the moms I know that couldn’t be here today to urge you to think about all our babies before you act.”
Rosas said in an interview with The Rider after the city commission meeting that she felt it was necessary to speak out.
“I feel like the people of Brownsville have said over and over that they don’t want certain things, and we keep getting sold out,” she said. “So at this point, it’s just necessary, and beating the anxiety or beating any problems that you might have, and just coming forward and talking to the city and asking for what you need. …We want to speak up, and we want to fight for what’s right.”
During the meeting, attendees and the city commission were given a letter of A Community-Led Moratorium by Bekah Hinojosa, a member of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network.
Gael Espinoza/THE RIDER
The South Texas Environmental Justice Network posted the letter on their Instagram page on Tuesday.
The letter states that the City of Brownsville should do a 180-day moratorium instead of the 90-day moratorium due to the lack of time.
Resident Veronique Medrano, asked the city commission to at least match Harlingen’s 120-day moratorium if the 180-day is not possible.
John Cuvillier, co-chair of Democratic Socialists of America Rio Grande Valley, said going to the city commission was more of a “civic engagement” than a protest.
“This is our city, and our people,” Cuvillier said. “I made it very clear at the last city commission meeting, where they held the data center workshop, that we did not want an AI data center built in our communities.”
The Rider contacted the City of Brownsville for an interview with the city commission. As of press time, they were not available for comment.
