New Mexico Data Center Faces Environmental Justice Concerns; Colorado Passes No New Industry Regulations

A proposed $165 billion data center project, "Project Jupiter," in Santa Teresa, southern New Mexico, is drawing significant local opposition. Ian Tafoya of Green Latinos highlighted environmental justice concerns, noting that artificial intelligence developers often target rural areas already grappling with poor health and economic disparities. The project is expected to create a massive demand for water and energy while also generating substantial emissions. Critics argue that the facility, which effectively involves building a power plant for a single industry, should be subject to clean energy regulations similar to other utilities. Despite the local pushback, the federal government has intervened to support the project. The Bureau of Land Management granted expedited permission for pipeline permitting, which had previously halted the development. This decision has allowed the project to move forward, despite ongoing community objections regarding its environmental and resource impact. Separately, in Colorado, the state's 2026 legislative session concluded without implementing any changes to how the data center industry is regulated. This outcome suggests that any proposed new restrictions or policies concerning data centers in Colorado did not pass during the session.