A massive data center proposed for southern New Mexico received local pushback but the federal government has nonetheless stepped in to push the project through.
Ean Tafoya, vice president of state programs for the advocacy group GreenLatinos, said environmental justice is a major reason communities object to data centers because artificial intelligence developers want to locate them in areas already experiencing poor health and economic disparities.
Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa will create a huge need for water and energy while generating substantial emissions. The $165 billion project was halted over pipeline permitting until the Bureau of Land Management granted expedited permission.
"You basically have a power plant being built to serve one industry that's not regulated in the same way as other utilities," Tafoya explained. "We're saying, 'Hey, just because you're bringing your own energy, it needs to be clean energy.'"
The roughly 20-mile natural gas pipeline was approved by the Doña Ana County Commission following a condensed two-week environmental review. It has a completion date of August 2026.
Tafoya stressed GreenLatinos believes states should approach regulation of artificial intelligence data centers from a mindset of community protection and adopt a high bar for regulation. The group is also working in Colorado, Illinois and Texas to promote transparency and ensure residents have a say in data center builds.
New Mexico has been experiencing severe drought for more than two decades and this past winter produced historically low snowpack across the entire Southwest. At the same time, Tafoya noted large AI data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons of water each day, equivalent to what's used by a town of up to 50,000 people.
"When we're talking about drought, in which, for example, here in the West, where we're literally unable to water our lawns but we're going to authorize projects that use as much water as a city government, that's really concerning," Tafoya underscored.
In Illinois, lawmakers have proposed stricter measures which would require water planning and reporting, utility cost responsibility, pollution controls and public hearings. Tafoya pointed out GreenLatinos does not oppose data centers but aims to help state leaders recognize the risks before granting blanket approval.
"There are a lot of people who are questioning whether they value streams over streaming," Tafoya emphasized. "They have a lot of questions about what the data centers are being used for and whether they're all necessary or it's speculative."
Earlier this week, Colorado ended its 2026 legislative session without changes to how the state regulates the data center industry. One bill backed by business groups and a second by consumer and environmental advocates both failed to advance.