Democratic New Mexico lawmakers are proposing a moratorium for the 2027 legislative session that would temporarily block new large-scale data centers from being built in the state.Lawmakers state they need time to create rules for water use, energy demand, and emissions before approving any new projects. The proposed pause is intended to give the state a chance to catch up and fully vet these projects before more are built.”This isn’t saying no to data centers always,” said State Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, “This would be saying that we wouldn’t be allowing any new data centers to come into New Mexico over a certain period of time. We haven’t decided what that window is, whether it’s 18 months or three years,” Lara Cadena said.The legislative push comes as Project Jupiter, a development in Santa Teresa, continues to move forward.”It’s a massive hyperscaled AI data center that popped up,” Lara Cadena said.Lara Cadena added that the county voted on and approved a major tax break for the project before certain questions were answered.”They couldn’t answer questions about water. And to this date, they still don’t have that information that certainly our constituents here in Southern New Mexico deserve,” Lara Cadena said.Project Jupiter did not respond to a request for comment in the afternoon. However, the project’s website states that the data center will not use the community’s drinking water or drill new wells. Instead, the website notes the facility will use industrial well water and recycle it through a closed-loop cooling system.The proposed moratorium would not affect Project Jupiter, but it would put future data center projects on hold.”It would say no new development until and then we put the right protections and parameters in place,” Lara Cadena said.The pause would also give the state time to bring in experts, including scientists at New Mexico State University and New Mexico Tech.”I know that we have in-house in our communities, people that actually understand quite well what our scarce water reality is, the kind of decisions we will be making in coming generations about how to care for that water,” Lara Cadena said.Lara Cadena stated that concerns about data centers appear to cross party lines, and she believes the proposal could gain support from Republicans.”New Mexicans’ opposition to data centers seems pretty bipartisan. I think in New Mexico, we have a deeply held value and commitment to our clean water and our fresh air and our open lands,” Lara Cadena said.Republican lawmakers did not respond to requests for comment.Meanwhile, the New Mexico Environment Department is taking public comment until midnight tonight on air quality rules for Project Jupiter.
Democratic New Mexico lawmakers are proposing a moratorium for the 2027 legislative session that would temporarily block new large-scale data centers from being built in the state.
Lawmakers state they need time to create rules for water use, energy demand, and emissions before approving any new projects. The proposed pause is intended to give the state a chance to catch up and fully vet these projects before more are built.
“This isn’t saying no to data centers always,” said State Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, “This would be saying that we wouldn’t be allowing any new data centers to come into New Mexico over a certain period of time. We haven’t decided what that window is, whether it’s 18 months or three years,” Lara Cadena said.
The legislative push comes as Project Jupiter, a development in Santa Teresa, continues to move forward.
“It’s a massive hyperscaled AI data center that popped up,” Lara Cadena said.
Lara Cadena added that the county voted on and approved a major tax break for the project before certain questions were answered.
“They couldn’t answer questions about water. And to this date, they still don’t have that information that certainly our constituents here in Southern New Mexico deserve,” Lara Cadena said.
Project Jupiter did not respond to a request for comment in the afternoon. However, the project’s website states that the data center will not use the community’s drinking water or drill new wells. Instead, the website notes the facility will use industrial well water and recycle it through a closed-loop cooling system.
The proposed moratorium would not affect Project Jupiter, but it would put future data center projects on hold.
“It would say no new development until and then we put the right protections and parameters in place,” Lara Cadena said.
The pause would also give the state time to bring in experts, including scientists at New Mexico State University and New Mexico Tech.
“I know that we have in-house in our communities, people that actually understand quite well what our scarce water reality is, the kind of decisions we will be making in coming generations about how to care for that water,” Lara Cadena said.
Lara Cadena stated that concerns about data centers appear to cross party lines, and she believes the proposal could gain support from Republicans.
“New Mexicans’ opposition to data centers seems pretty bipartisan. I think in New Mexico, we have a deeply held value and commitment to our clean water and our fresh air and our open lands,” Lara Cadena said.
Republican lawmakers did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, the New Mexico Environment Department is taking public comment until midnight tonight on air quality rules for Project Jupiter.
