NM House Dist. 39 hopefuls contrast backgrounds, plans
At a New Mexico House District 39 candidate forum in Silver City, both Luis Terrazas and Raul Turrieta supported a moratorium on data center development in Grant County. They cited concerns about water use and potential effects on constituents' utility costs, while acknowledging that data centers could bring jobs if adequate safeguards are established.
Republican incumbent state Rep. Luis Terrazas and Democratic challenger Raul Turrieta discussed the proposed development of data centers in Grant County during a candidate forum in Silver City. Both candidates said development should be paused through a moratorium until protections for water resources and local residents are in place.
Turrieta said he had begun pursuing a moratorium after the proposal was discussed by the Grant County Commission and pointed to Project Jupiter in Doña Ana County as an example officials should study. Terrazas said he had written county commissioners requesting moratoriums, warning that data centers should not increase utility costs or deplete local water supplies. Both candidates said the projects could provide jobs, but only with appropriate guardrails and financial or infrastructure protections for the community.