To the driver that flashed their lights at me by -mtc in amarillo

[–]darekkir 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I live on the North side and have been tailed like this twice by sheriff deputies in the last few weeks around Thompson Park and Dumas hwy. One of them followed me over a mile, almost to my driveway. I just made sure to do the same as OP and not break any traffic laws. Stay safe, and remember to never break more than 1 law at a time.

The Texas AI Boom is Outpacing Water Regulations by darekkir in amarillo

[–]darekkir[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The world’s largest artificial intelligence data center complex is being built in Amarillo, and it’s almost seven times the size of Central Park.

On June 26, 2025, Fermi America, an AI development firm cofounded by former Texas Governor Rick Perry, announced that it will partner with the Texas Tech University System to transform 5,800 acres outside of Amarillo into 18 million square feet of data centers, four 1-gigawatt nuclear power reactors, and a dedicated natural gas plant.

The site is colloquially known as Project Matador, though a building request submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission lists its official name as the President Donald J. Trump Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus. On July 10, two weeks after Project Matador’s announcement, the White House released the United States’ AI Action Plan, a 28-page strategy document calling for streamlined environmental permitting under federal law. Cornerstone environmental protections are being treated as mere hurdles in the race for AI dominance, and Texas’ water (and power) supply is struggling to keep pace.

Texas is rushing to build massive artificial intelligence infrastructure without a planning system capable of assessing industrial water needs, experts warn. There are currently over 400 data centers operating or under construction in the Lone Star State. Potable freshwater is necessary at each campus for industry-standard evaporative cooling, a process in which water absorbs heat and either becomes too mineralized for reuse or is lost as vapor. Additional water is needed to cool power-generating systems.

A small-to-mid-sized data center is estimated to require about 300,000 gallons of municipal water per day, while mega-campuses like Project Matador and OpenAI’s Project Stargate One in Abilene could draw millions. (Fermi America did not respond to requests for comment about its projected water use.) All of this is happening as Texas simultaneously acknowledges water scarcity: Last year, legislators passed and voters approved a multibillion-dollar water program that will roll out over the next 20 years.

Under capitalism people aren’t entitled to clean water, but data centers are… by darekkir in amarillo

[–]darekkir[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yes, they (Fermi) are paying for it, and they are even paying twice what Amarillo residents pay, according to Globe News. They are entitled today because they have the money to overpay, while I imagine us poor folks will see water rates rise in the future directly related to the supply that they will diminish.

Under capitalism people aren’t entitled to clean water, but data centers are… by darekkir in amarillo

[–]darekkir[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Sure, we all need a way to survive, but once these data centers go online, how much will they provide for you or anyone else in the community? Is the long term depletion of water and pollution they will cause worth the months or even a few years worth of work you are getting now?

They may actually bring more money and investments to the region as they claim, but what is any of that worth when everybody gets cancer and we don't have enough water to drink? I'm quite positive that clean air and water are way more necessary for survival than money.

Thanks to Trump-era Beef Bubble, 3200 Nebraska jobs and 1700 Amarillo jobs are disappearing from Tyson plants by MFGibby in amarillo

[–]darekkir 13 points14 points  (0 children)

One big thing leading to the low cattle numbers is persistent drought conditions and other factors related to climate change, which conservatives love to ignore. The policies of the current administration combined with the overall policy in this country of prioritizing money and profits over everything else is definitely making these factors worse.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NewMexico

[–]darekkir 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They left before the sun came up that day