LAS CRUCES — Critics of Project Jupiter took a bit of a victory lap at Tuesday’s Doña Ana County Commission meeting, two days after the New Mexico Supreme Court struck a blow to the controversial project with orders pausing two key permitting processes.
The proposed Doña Ana County data center has faced regulatory roadblocks for its water use and air quality permits. Environmental advocacy groups petitioned the state’s highest court to place emergency stays on both the air quality permitting proceeding before the state Environment Department and an authorization developers received last year to drill a water well for the project. On Sunday, the court sided with the project’s critics on both fronts.
Tuesday’s meeting was sparsely attended both by members of the public and by commissioners, only two of whom showed up in person. Some speakers referenced the paused proceedings in public comments, although none of the items on the commission’s agenda were Project Jupiter-related.
“Those opposing Project Jupiter had some wins yesterday with the New Mexico Supreme Court decisions, and we are taking a moment to rejoice about that,” Sheri Reinhart, of Las Cruces, said at the meeting. “Jupiter is not stopped, but it is delayed. It’s a little early to say that the tide is turning, but it is shifting.”
Reinhart cited an opinion piece published on the news website El Paso Matters by state Rep. Sarah Silva. A former backer of the project, the Las Cruces Democrat encouraged Project Jupiter’s developers to “abandon their plans, pack their things and leave Doña Ana County for good,” citing “dishonesty, broken promises and threats.”
“Silva, originally a supporter of Project Jupiter, came out vehemently against Project Jupiter yesterday, asking Oracle to ‘pack it up’ and go home,” Reinhart said. “When new evidence becomes available, there is new responsibility. You are allowed to change your mind. And I ask: Will all of you, will all of us, be on the right side of history?”
Juan Garcia, another member of the public, had a different response to Silva’s piece, asking what would happen to Project Jupiter’s community contributions.
“So make plans for the Boys and Girls club to return the $1.5 million they received for their new facility?” he asked. “And Casa de Peregrinos to return the $400,000 they received for food to feed the needy? And the $80 million in taxes paid to the community?”
Others repeated calls for Commission Chair Manny Sanchez to resign for limiting public input at a late July meeting where three demonstrators were arrested. Sanchez was absent from Tuesday’s meeting due to a business trip, he wrote in a text message.
Commissioner Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez tuned in virtually, while Commissioner Gloria Gameros — who represents Santa Teresa, the location where Project Jupiter’s construction is well underway — could not attend.
Sierra Edmister criticized the empty seats on the dais.
“I always write my comments assuming I’ll get to speak to my county commissioners. But I’ve learned that you can’t assume your elected representatives will show up to their jobs,” Edmister said at Tuesday’s meeting.
In related business, Commissioner Susie Kimble called for more applications for a new citizen-led Project Jupiter watch committee, noting the county hasn’t had “as many applications as we expected.”
The county’s interest form will remain open until Aug. 31, with appointments to the Community Monitoring Committee made by Sept. 4.
“I’d like to say thank you for being civil today,” Kimble said. “This was a very informative meeting, and we learned a lot. We talked a lot, and I like to see things be discussed at a lower-decibel level.”
