Open Stewardship and Smart Growth for Milam County’s Future
Recently, during one of my regular office hours, a gentleman stopped by to talk about the new developments near Burlington, including the data center now under construction. His concern echoed something I’ve heard from many folks across the county — the fear that new growth, particularly large solar projects and data centers, could begin to crowd out the ranch and farmland that define our way of life.
That concern is understandable, and it’s one I share.
Agriculture has always been at the heart of Milam County. Our ranches and farms aren’t just businesses — they are our heritage, our economy, and the foundation of our community. Protecting that legacy matters.
Before this Commissioners Court took office, more than twenty tax abatements were granted to solar projects, and thousands of acres of agricultural land were tied up in those developments. Since January 2023, however, this court has taken a different approach. We have not granted a single abatement to any new solar plant.
In fact, we’ve been approached by twelve different companies seeking abatements of one kind or another. To date, we have approved only three.
Importantly, none of those three projects were located on land actively being used for agriculture. Two are on the former Alcoa property within established industrial zones. The third is the data center near Burlington, on property that had not been used for agricultural production for many years and where nearly half the tract is designated wetlands. In short, these were not productive ranch or farmland acres being taken out of use.
When we came into office, we set clear standards. Any company seeking an abatement must demonstrate financial stability, long-term viability, and meaningful local benefit — including jobs and the use of local contractors. If a project doesn’t meet those standards, we simply don’t move forward. That’s why the other nine requests were declined.
Growth is coming to our county — you can see it in new homes, new businesses, and carefully planned industrial development on both the north and south sides. Growth itself isn’t the problem. Poorly planned growth is.
Ten years ago, when solar developers first began leasing large tracts of land, many decisions were made quietly and without much public awareness. Today, this court operates very differently. We scrutinize every proposal and make decisions openly and deliberately, always asking one question: does this truly benefit the people of Milam County?
We are also working closely with Stan Gerdes at the state level and Pete Sessions federally to pursue stronger legislation that gives rural counties better tools to manage the spread of large solar, wind, and data center developments. Local communities deserve a voice in how their land is used.
Our responsibility is simple: protect our agricultural roots while planning wisely for the future.
We can welcome responsible development without sacrificing the land and lifestyle that make Milam County home. That balance takes careful judgment and steady leadership — and that’s exactly what this Commissioners Court is committed to providing every day.
