Advocacy group asks for Project Jupiter’s air quality permit application to be tossed
An advocacy group, New Energy Economy, has filed a motion to dismiss Project Jupiter's air quality permit application. They argue the application is incomplete because the natural gas pipeline, essential for powering the data center, has not been legally authorized. The New Mexico State Land Commissioner has twice denied permission for the pipeline to cross state trust land, a decision that is now subject to an appeal process.
An advocacy group, New Energy Economy, has formally requested the dismissal of Project Jupiter's air quality permit application, asserting that the proposed Southern New Mexico data center lacks a legally authorized fuel source.
The group's motion, filed Tuesday, highlights that State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has twice rejected an application related to Project Jupiter's Green Chile Lateral pipeline, which is crucial for supplying the 400 million cubic feet of natural gas required daily by the facility. New Energy Economy argues that without this pipeline, the data center, a component of the $500 billion Stargate initiative for AI infrastructure, cannot generate electricity and thus cannot exist.
Max Shepherd, the New Mexico Environment Department's hearing officer overseeing the permit case, has ordered all parties, including developers Yucca Growth Infrastructure and the state's energy department, to submit responses by Tuesday. Shepherd's order also demands clarification on potential alternative gas sources, plans for appealing Garcia Richard's denial, and the project's overall viability. Jennifer Bradfute, counsel for Yucca Growth Infrastructure, stated the company is committed to addressing all regulatory requirements. Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA) has expressed support for New Energy Economy's motion, emphasizing the fundamental incompleteness of the permit application without a confirmed power source.
Despite a recent successful push by developers to expedite the air quality permit hearing, Colin Cox of the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute has moved to revert the hearing to its original October date. New Energy Economy President Mariel Nanasi praised Shepherd's order for asking "exactly the right questions," suggesting it would prevent a "colossal waste of resources" on a potentially unfeasible project.