NM Supreme Court lifts two stays, denies petitions regarding Project Jupiter
The New Mexico Supreme Court lifted two previously granted stays and denied petitions from environmental groups concerning Project Jupiter, an Oracle- and OpenAI-backed data center in Santa Teresa. The petitions challenged the project's air quality permit application and emergency well drilling for water use. Environmental groups expressed deep disappointment but vowed to continue their advocacy for fair public hearings and responsible resource management.
The New Mexico Supreme Court has unanimously lifted two previously granted stays and denied petitions for writ of mandamus filed by environmental groups regarding Project Jupiter, an artificial intelligence data center campus under construction in Santa Teresa. The facility is backed by Oracle and OpenAI.
The petitions, filed by New Energy Economy (NEE) and the Center for Biological Diversity, challenged different aspects of the project. NEE's petition named the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and its Secretary, James Kenney, among respondents, seeking compliance with regulatory duties concerning an air quality permit. The Center for Biological Diversity's petition challenged the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer's approval of emergency well drilling for water, claiming over 197 million gallons had already been supplied for construction.
Following the ruling, both environmental groups expressed significant disappointment. Mariel Nanasi, NEE's Executive Director, stated they sought "extraordinary relief" for what they perceived as a process stacked against meaningful public participation and hopes for a fair hearing from a new Hearing Officer. Colin Cox, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, criticized the Office of the State Engineer for "rubberstamping the use of our precious fresh water" by data centers, vowing to continue fighting for New Mexicans' interests against large corporations.