New Mexico lawmakers plan data center moratorium after Project Jupiter concerns

Four New Mexico lawmakers, including state Reps. Micaela Lara Cadena, Angelica Rubio, Eleanor Chávez, and state Sen. Carrie Hamblen, plan to introduce legislation during the 2027 legislative session for a statewide moratorium on new large-scale data center development. The proposal, announced Thursday, seeks to pause projects while the state develops rules to evaluate the industry's impacts on water use, energy demand, emissions, ratepayer impacts, and community benefits. They also intend to address a microgrid loophole and data security.

The initiative is a direct response to scrutiny surrounding Project Jupiter, an AI hyperscale data center under construction in Santa Teresa, Doña Ana County. County commissioners approved a $165 billion industrial revenue bond agreement for the project in September, but it has since faced concerns regarding its water use, energy demands, emissions, and transparency in the public process. Lawmakers like Rep. Rubio emphasized the need for the state to understand the industry's consequences before allowing rapid expansion.

Rep. Lara Cadena highlighted that county officials are still unable to provide details on Project Jupiter's water use and emissions, linking this lack of information to deals made without sufficient scrutiny. The announcement follows reports from the Albuquerque Journal about overdue job-hiring reports from Project Jupiter's developers and Organ Mountain News' report on STACK Infrastructure, the developer, receiving state job-training funds. Lawmakers aim to work with community members and advocates to shape the policy.