Opposition organizes for data center in Grant County
Residents in Grant County, New Mexico, are organizing opposition against a proposed 300.8-megawatt data center by Site Layer 1, LLC, a subsidiary of Corner Ventures. Concerns primarily revolve around significant water usage, air pollution, and a lack of transparency from the developer. A Grant County Commissioner has proposed a one-year moratorium on data center developments to allow for further evaluation and regulation.
A public notice for an air quality permit application for a data center in Grant County, New Mexico, has sparked immediate opposition from residents and environmental groups. The company, identified as Site Layer 1, LLC, a subsidiary of New York-based Corner Ventures, proposes a 300.8-megawatt facility with 32 natural-gas powered engines, each rated at 9.4 megawatts.
Allyson Siwik, executive director of the Gila Resources Information Project (GRIP), highlighted concerns about the project's potential water consumption, which could be as high as 6,500 acre-feet annually if it uses wet cooling—three times Silver City's annual usage. Air pollution, including significant greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter, is also a major worry, potentially impacting downwind areas like El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico.
Local organizer Oly Perez has been mobilizing the community through letter-writing campaigns and poster-making events, advocating for greater transparency regarding the data center's impact. Grant County District 3 Commissioner Nancy Stephens has responded to public outcry by submitting a proposal for a yearlong moratorium on data center development, similar to one adopted in Socorro County. This moratorium, expected to be discussed at the Sept. 24 County Commission meeting, aims to allow time for evaluating costs, benefits, and implementing regulations, as residents express concerns over water, energy, pollution, and the developer's lack of community outreach.