Monitor Staff Reports

MALAKOFF–Henderson County Precinct 1 Commissioner Wendy Kinabrew Spivey released the following statement July 22:
A message I was happy to receive this morning.
Diode Ventures has informed Henderson County that they will not pursue the proposed data center development at the Key Ranch/Cedar Creek Lake location.
This was not the outcome of one person or one elected official. It was the result of a community that became informed, got involved, and respectfully made its voice heard.
I want to thank every resident who attended meetings, asked questions, researched the facts, signed petitions, wrote letters, sent emails, made phone calls, and spoke with courtesy and conviction. Your participation mattered.
I also appreciate Diode Ventures for taking the time to listen to our community’s concerns and for making the decision that this location was not the right fit for a large-scale data center.
From the very beginning, my position has been consistent: while Texas will continue to need infrastructure to support growth, this proposed location—surrounded by homes, families, and the Cedar Creek Lake community—was not an appropriate place for a project of this scale.
Serving as your Precinct 1 Commissioner has always meant listening to the people I represent, protecting our natural resources, respecting private property rights, and working to preserve the rural quality of life that makes Henderson County so special.
Today is a reminder that respectful civic engagement works. When neighbors come together, stay informed, and participate in the process, their voices can make a difference.
Thank you for trusting me to stand with you and represent your concerns. I will continue working every day to protect the interests of Precinct 1 and all of Henderson County.
Soon after Commissioner Spivey’s statement, The Monitor followed up with the commissioner about the details of learning this development. Spivey told The Monitor she received an email from the co-presidents of Diode Ventures.
“I have been working behind the scenes with State Rep. Cody Harris (of Palestine), and he has been working with Governor Abbott, to make this happen. I received a phone call last week, he (the co-president) said they would be pulling out of the project at Key Ranch/Cedar Creek Lake, he told me he would make it official this week, and we received the email at noon today. I didn’t say anything until the email because I didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up, till it was 100% true. Hallelujah.”
Commission Spivey provided a copy of that email to The Monitor, which follows:
Dear Judge McKinney and Honorable Commissioners:
We're writing to provide you with an update on our land site assessment in Henderson County, Texas.
Governor Greg Abbott has made clear that data centers seeking to do business in Texas must be responsible stewards of the state's natural resources, power infrastructure, and most importantly, the communities in which they operate. Diode shares that expectation and is committed to meet or exceed state and local standards in our projects.
We appreciate recent conversations with Governor Abbott's staff, State Representative Cody Harris, County Commissioner Wendy Spivey, and Henderson County leadership, as Diode evaluated a potential data center site near Cedar Creek Lake. The perspectives shared by residents, local leaders and stakeholders led us to conclude that the site under evaluation, in particular its close proximity to the rural residential community of Cedar Creek Lake, does not meet the higher standard we believe should guide data center development. Accordingly, Diode will not pursue land development at this location. Instead, we will focus on Opportunities where we can support Texas' growing infrastructure needs. We support practices that allow for responsible data center development, including the use of advanced water efficient technologies, like closed-loop and air-cooled systems, while engaging openly with communities from the beginning of the site exploration process.