County commissioners press for answers on Project Jupiter water use

Doña Ana County commissioners have passed an unusual resolution demanding answers from the developers and tenants of the massive Project Jupiter data center complex in Santa Teresa. The resolution mandates County Manager Scott Andrews to investigate recent reports suggesting the project will require significantly more water than previously disclosed, assess any project changes and their environmental impacts, and present findings publicly. Commissioners Susana Chaparro and Chairman Manny Sanchez were instrumental in pushing for due diligence after weeks of public criticism. The controversy stems from a rushed process seven months prior, during which the county approved $165 billion in industrial revenue bonds and tax incentives for BorderPlex Digital Assets and Stack Infrastructure. Oracle and OpenAI are slated to lease the data centers for AI model training. Local opposition has been vocal, with protests and demands for a town hall to address environmental concerns, including air emissions from planned natural gas microgrid power plants and the project's overall water footprint. Concerns escalated after the Santa Fe New Mexican quoted Office of the State Engineer general counsel Nat Chakeres stating the gas power plants alone could demand nearly a million gallons of water daily. Oracle responded by asserting the project's potable water use is capped at 20,000 gallons per day, with non-potable water for construction and cooling coming from existing commercial sources, thereby not increasing overall demand. However, County Attorney Cari Neill emphasized the need to verify this information against the IRB agreement, citing "potential misinformation." The county aims to confirm developer compliance, though the recourse for non-compliance remains unclear given the county holds title to the project under the IRB, which protects it from property taxes for 30 years. Any modification or cancellation of the agreement would likely lead to litigation. A community meeting with representatives from BorderPlex, Stack, Oracle, and OpenAI is being planned for June to further address public questions.