Retired judge to lead Project Jupiter permit review
The New Mexico Environment Department appointed retired federal Judge James O. Browning to oversee the air-quality permit review for Project Jupiter, an Oracle- and OpenAI-backed data center campus in Santa Teresa. The New Mexico Supreme Court lifted a stay and denied petitions challenging the permit proceedings and planned construction water use, allowing the review to resume.
The New Mexico Environment Department appointed retired federal Judge James O. Browning as the independent hearing officer for Yucca Growth Infrastructure LLC’s air-quality permit application for Project Jupiter at the Santa Teresa Industrial Park. NMED Cabinet Secretary James Kenney made the appointment, while Deputy Cabinet Secretary John Rhoderick will make the final permit decision.
The Oracle- and OpenAI-backed artificial intelligence data center campus faced legal challenges from New Energy Economy, including requests to halt the permit process and restrict construction water use. The New Mexico Supreme Court lifted its stay on Sept. 18 and denied the petitions, allowing the proceedings to continue, although a new public hearing date had not been scheduled. Oracle has said Bloom Energy fuel cells could supply up to 2.45 gigawatts for the complex.