Project Jupiter air quality hearing date changes to September
A public hearing for the air quality permit for the Project Jupiter data center, developed by Oracle and OpenAI in southern New Mexico, has been unexpectedly rescheduled to September from October, raising concerns among environmental attorneys. Attorneys for the project developers, including Yucca Growth Infrastructure, pushed for an earlier date due to an approaching deadline and potential financial losses. Environmental groups are challenging the new schedule, arguing insufficient time to prepare for the complex case.
A public hearing concerning an air quality permit for the contentious Project Jupiter data center, a joint venture between Oracle and OpenAI in southern New Mexico, has been controversially moved from October to September. Max Shepherd, the presiding hearing officer, initially denied a request for an earlier date from the project's developers, stating he would maintain the October schedule and explore options to extend the New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) November 23 decision deadline. However, two days later, a written order published by NMED showed the hearing was rescheduled to begin on September 14 at the Sunland Park Multi-Generational Center.
This abrupt change has alarmed environmental attorneys. Colin Cox, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute, which has intervened in the case, expressed "highly concerning" skepticism over the reversal, noting his organization has since filed a motion to revert to the original October date. Maslyn Locke, a senior attorney for the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, representing residents in related lawsuits, emphasized the complexity of the case and the insufficient time for attorneys and expert witnesses to prepare under the revised schedule, warning that rushing the process could lead to irreversible problems.
Jennifer Bradfute, an attorney for Project Jupiter developer Yucca Growth Infrastructure, argued for an expedited hearing, citing potential financial losses of $325 million per month starting in November and the risk of the project abandoning employment opportunities in New Mexico. Separately, at a recent Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners meeting, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Executive Vice President Mahesh Thiagarajan and STACK Infrastructure Chief Development Officer Bobby Hollis presented updated job numbers for Project Jupiter, highlighting nearly 700 current New Mexican employees and a commitment to 100% carbon-free energy matching by 2031.