WED: Doña Ana County seeks answers on Project Jupiter water use, + More

The Doña Ana County commissioners approved a resolution seeking clarification from developers of "Project Jupiter," a large data center complex under construction in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The resolution mandates County Manager Scott Andrews to verify reports that the project, being built by BorderPlex Digital Assets and Stack Infrastructure, will require more water than previously disclosed. Oracle, in partnership with OpenAI, plans to lease the data centers. Concerns center on water usage for construction, cooling systems, and two natural gas microgrid power plants, as well as air emissions. Oracle stated the facility would primarily use non-potable water, limiting potable water to 20,000 gallons per day. The county is concerned about potential misinformation and compliance with the industrial revenue bond (IRB) agreement. Separately, several New Mexico environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and Food & Water Watch, filed a formal challenge with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). They urged a more exhaustive review of the proposed $60-million "Green Chile Project," a 17-mile gas pipeline by Energy Transfer, designed to supply the data center's power plants. State regulators previously denied permits for segments of the pipeline, prompting calls for a new route analysis. Environmentalists argue the pipeline and data center's emissions and water demands contradict New Mexico's climate goals. State environmental officials have postponed a decision on air quality permits for the gas-fired power plants until July.