Project Jupiter, the massive data center under construction in southern New Mexico’s Doña Ana County, is becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over artificial intelligence infrastructure. At issue: water use, energy demand, and whether the promised economic benefits truly materialize for local communities.

Opposition to large-scale data centers is growing, cutting across political lines. A recent poll by Quinnipiac University found that 65% of Americans oppose data centers being built in their own communities.

This program begins with an interview recorded on April 30 with two attorneys from the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, who are leading legal challenges to Project Jupiter. We then hear from energy journalist Robert Bryce, whose recent short documentary, The Data Center Backlash, examines the real-world impact of a large facility built near a residential neighborhood outside Austin, Texas.

The program concludes with insights from Kirk Teske, recently retired executive vice president at the global architecture firm HKS. Teske outlines practical approaches to building data centers more responsibly: reducing water consumption, lowering power demands, and addressing the concerns of the communities they affect.

Program Note: Representatives of Project Jupiter and Doña Ana County were invited to participate in the program but they either declined or did not respond. 

 Host:               Jim Falk

Co-host:          Peter Smith

Guests:            Kacey Hovden, Staff Attorney, New Mexico Environmental Law Center

Maslyn Locke, Senior Staff Attorney, New Mexico Environmental Law Center

Robert Bryce, Energy journalist, author & film producer, Substack 

Kirk Teske, Retired EVP, HKS, Inc. & Board Member, Protect the Paluxy Valley