I’ve struggled with whether to even respond to this. Posts like the one circulating don’t deserve credibility, and I’m careful not to elevate misinformation.
But I’ve been tagged repeatedly. I’ve received phone calls from friends and family. That tells me this is no longer just an online issue. The misinformation is traveling, and it’s creating unnecessary fear. That matters to me.
I live here. I’m raising my family here. I care deeply about Harlingen’s future, which is why I take offense to posts that frame speculation as fact and panic as truth.
Let me be very clear.
There is no project before the City Commission. Nothing has been approved. Nothing has been committed. There is no vote, no agreement, no decision being made quietly or behind closed doors.
The role of economic development staff is to speak with investors and explore possibilities. That is their job. It does not mean a project is happening. It does not mean the city has agreed to anything. And it certainly does not mean residents have been cut out of the process.
For EDC’s non disclosure agreements are common. They are not secrecy for secrecy’s sake. They allow staff to do their jobs and have conversations that may or may not ever result in a proposal. These staff members are not elected officials.
If something were to advance beyond staff conversations, it would first go before the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation Board. Only if recommended there would it then come before the City Commission.
If a project of this magnitude were actually being considered by the Commission, it would involve public discussion and community input. That is how this city operates.
I also want to be clear about something else. I do not rubber stamp growth.
This Commission has already proven that. We passed a car wash ordinance after multiple meetings and debate because of water consumption. It wasn’t popular with everyone, but it was necessary for our community. Car washes must now recycle water and cannot be clustered too closely together. That decision was made with residents in mind.
I am willing to make hard decisions when they are in the best interest of Harlingen.
Any project with large water consumption would be taken extremely seriously. Any project impacting power demand would be taken extremely seriously. The Commission has the authority to say no, and we will use it when needed.
Power is one of my top priorities heading into the next legislative session. I will continue working with lawmakers to ensure we have the infrastructure needed to support growth responsibly, not just in Harlingen, but regionally.
Yes, data centers require significant water and power. That is exactly why speculation without context is irresponsible.
Right now, there is no commitment. There is no project. And there is nothing before the City Commission.
I was elected to be the voice of the people, not the echo chamber of social media fear. When there are real questions to answer, I will answer them. When there are real decisions to make, the community will be part of that conversation.
We can grow thoughtfully. We can ask hard questions. And we can do it without panic.
I also want to gently remind people to consider the source of what they’re seeing and sharing. Some individuals create content with millions of viewers in mind because their platforms are monetized. High engagement generates income. That doesn’t automatically make someone wrong, but it does mean their incentive is attention, not accuracy.
I believe our community is smart and capable of doing its own research. We don’t need to accept fear-based narratives at face value, especially when they’re designed to go viral rather than inform.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was penned by Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda and first appeared on her social media pages. It was made in response to the concerns of Harlingen residents that a large data center was about to be built in the city. The data center would consume a lot of water. News that Harlingen Economic Development Corporation was in discussions with a company proposing to build data center company first appeared in the RGG Business Journal. Click here and here to read the stories.
