El Pasoans Packing City Council Meetings Are Called A "Virus" For Voicing Data Center Concerns

El Paso residents have been consistently packing city council meetings to express their opposition to a proposed Meta data center in Northeast El Paso, near U.S. Highway 54 and Stan Roberts Sr. Avenue. Concerns center on the project's impact on local jobs and potential increases in electricity costs. Jon Barela, CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, which brokered the deal, publicly criticized the opposing residents at a private industry summit, calling their efforts a "virus." He also labeled their concerns "misinformation" and issued a "call to arms" for supporters to pressure elected officials. This stance has drawn criticism from residents and some local leaders for dismissing public input. While Meta's vice president of data center development, Gary Demasi, stated the project would create 1,500 construction jobs and 300 full-time operational jobs, critics point to national data suggesting that large data centers often rely on out-of-town laborers for construction and create fewer permanent, local jobs than advertised. Concerns also persist regarding the data center's energy demands; despite claims of 100% clean energy, El Paso Electric has proposed a $473 million gas-powered plant to support the facility, raising questions about who will bear the cost and its impact on electricity rates, as highlighted by County Commissioner Jackie Butler. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar has formally requested Meta hold public listening sessions to provide greater transparency to the community. City Rep. Chris Canales indicated his views have shifted since the initial agreement, though he believes it's "too late to stop" the center. Community meetings are still scheduled as local and county governments develop "practice guides" to better understand data center impacts.