Project Jupiter hearing officer recuses himself

The hearing officer assigned to the air quality permit application for Project Jupiter, a proposed hyperscale AI-training data center in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, has recused himself. Max Shepherd withdrew from the case following an emergency motion filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the New Mexico Environmental Law Center.

Simultaneously, the New Mexico Supreme Court granted a temporary stay on the permit proceeding after clean energy advocate New Energy Economy filed an emergency writ. The writ argued that the State Land Office's refusal to approve a natural gas pipeline route through state trust land meant the project lacked an established fuel source. The Project Jupiter data center, under construction by Yucca Growth Infrastructure for tenants Oracle Corp. and OpenAI, seeks approval for a methane-fueled fuel cell system expected to emit between 8.8 million and over 10 million tons of greenhouse gas per year.

Opponents have criticized Shepherd's inconsistent rulings and accelerated timelines, connecting a reversal to a meeting between Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Oracle representatives. New Energy Economy executive director Mariel Nanasi welcomed Shepherd's recusal, stating the process had become compromised. Colin Cox, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, and Maslyn Locke, senior attorney for the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, also expressed relief, citing concerns about due process and perceived favoritism towards the New Mexico Environment Department and Yucca Growth Infrastructure.