Project Jupiter faces pushback from local residents and environmental groups, signaling ongoing NIMBY opposition to rural data center siting.

Project Jupiter, the proposed AI data center campus in Santa Teresa, faces growing public and legislative pushback. Four Las Cruces-area state senators—Carrie Hamblen, Joseph Cervantes, Bill Soules, and Jeff Steinborn—held a press conference Thursday at La Llorona Park to announce an Aug. 11 public listening session and criticize the project's transparency, energy claims, environmental risks, and public process.

Positioned with the Rio Grande behind them, the lawmakers discussed water, air quality, ratepayer risks, and whether southern New Mexico residents have received sufficient information about a project with potential to reshape part of Doña Ana County. Hamblen stated the senators do not support Project Jupiter. Cervantes characterized the project as "quarterbacked out of Santa Fe." Soules questioned the project's shifting energy explanations, while Steinborn warned that New Mexico communities should not be treated as sacrifice zones for large industrial projects.

The Aug. 11 listening session will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at Corbett Center on the NMSU campus. Attendance is free and open to the public.

New Mexico vehicle registration fees and weight-distance taxes increased July 1, marking the first adjustment to either rate since 2004. Passenger vehicle registration fees increased by 25%, while the state's weight-distance tax increased by 35%. State officials estimate the increases will generate approximately $70 million for the State Road Fund, which supports road maintenance and transportation infrastructure. Passenger vehicle registration fees will now range from approximately $26 to $70 per year, up from $21 to $56. MVD customers can receive a 5% discount on vehicle registration fees by renewing online.

This week's reporting stretched across multiple dimensions: tracking state-level policy fights, covering developments from the Rio Grande, publishing partner journalism, addressing public service items, and maintaining southern New Mexico's presence in decisions made elsewhere. Project Jupiter exemplifies this scope—the story extends beyond a data center to encompass how major economic development projects reach the public, what information residents can access, who bears environmental and infrastructure risk, and whether southern New Mexico communities participate as full stakeholders in decisions affecting them.