Project Jupiter air quality permitting process resumes
The New Mexico Supreme Court shot down to environmental groups' challenges to Project Jupiter's air quality permit. The court handed down the unanimous decision on Thursday.
In August, New Energy Economy and the Center for Biological Diversity asked the court to pause the permitting process for Project Jupiter. The groups had two main concerns--that the hearing officer had made public participation too difficult and that wells supplying water for the project were illegally drilled. The court issued a stay at the time meaning that the permitting process was paused while the court deliberated.
Thursday's decision means the process can continue. The court's brief ruling offered no further explanation.
Even as the air quality permit was temporarily delayed, construction on the massive data center has continued in Doña Ana County. Estimates show that Project Jupiter could emit as many greenhouse gases as New Mexico's largest cities combined.
Haaland defends stance on data centers
Deb Haaland said that if she becomes New Mexico's next governor, she will sign an executive order on day one establishing a moratorium for new large-scale data center projects. Haaland gave the remarks at a news conference in Albuquerque on Thursday. The announcement came just two days after The Santa Fe New Mexican broke news of data center developers donating a total of over $87,000 to Haaland's campaign.
Haaland said at the news conference that the moratorium would remain in place until legislative guardrails are passed. She wants data center developments to be more transparent, prioritize local jobs and renewable energy, and have a framework for water use.
Haaland issued a similar statement on social media. The comment section on Instagram included numerous calls for an outright ban on data centers. Others urged Haaland to return campaign funds to data center developer Oracle.
Haaland's opponent, Republican Greg Hull, has said he does not support a data center moratorium.
A conversation on homelessness in Santa Fe
Carina Julig and John Bacon stopped by the KSFR studios this week for a conversation on the ever-changing people, places and policies that address homelessness in the City Different. Julig covers homelessness and city government for The Santa Fe New Mexican. Bacon is a case worker at The Life Link and was formerly unhoused.
Bacon said he would like to see the city adopt a more streamlined approach to homelessness services.
"I think that we need a specific point person that we can go to, that all of the providers can go to, to advocate for the homeless," Bacon said. "I also believe that the that the budget for homelessness is extremely low. I've heard that it's like 1% of the city's budget."
Julig said that having various divisions working on homelessness makes that budget number hard to pinpoint.
"There are kind of so many different things baked into those divisions that it's actually very difficult to point specifically to how much the city is spending exactly on homelessness," she said. Honestly, it is kind of opaque how much of those budgets specifically go to that issue."
To hear the full conversation with Carina Julig and John Bacon, tune in to The Forum on KSFR at 6 pm on Monday night, or stream anytime at KSFR dot o-r-g.
Heinrich calls for more data center accounability
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich took the Senate floor Thursday to object to the Senate's passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act. The bill aims to protect ratepayers from energy cost increases caused by data centers. But the New Mexico Democrat said that compliance with the bill is voluntary and doesn't go far enough.
“When I open my electricity bill, and read to see how much I owe for the month, it doesn’t say I ‘may’ pay that amount. It doesn’t say I ‘should’ pay that amount. It’s not optional. Just like every other bill-paying American out there, I open that bill and I have to pay it. The same needs to be true for AI data centers,” Heinrich said. “If hyperscalers and other big tech companies need expensive new facilities and more energy, they should pay for it—not our hardworking families and small businesses.”
Heinrich instead urged the Senate to pass his GRID Savings Act. He said the bill would require data centers to pay for their own grid connections and upgrades.
"It’s not enough for us to tell states to consider making data centers pay for grid upgrades. Rather than voluntary pledges or suggestions to states, Congress needs to pass real legislation with real teeth."
Heinrich went on to call for greater accountability for data center developers including more community engagement and water conservation.
