# Data Centers Threaten Climate Goals in Texas and New Mexico

> Texas and New Mexico data centers could undermine climate targets as emissions rise.
- Title: Data Centers Threaten Climate Goals in Texas and New Mexico
- Summary: Texas and New Mexico data centers could undermine climate targets as emissions rise. New Mexico and Texas data centers emit millions of tons of greenhouse…
- Keywords: data centers, greenhouse gas emissions, climate goals, texas, new mexico, meta, oracle, el paso, project jupiter, fort bliss, energy consumption, Data
- Source: Texastribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17497095/data-centers-texas-new-mexico-greenhouse-gas-emissions
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: data centers, greenhouse gas emissions, climate goals, texas, new mexico, meta, oracle, el paso, project jupiter, fort bliss, ai, energy consumption
## New Mexico and Texas Climate Plans
Last December, New Mexico officials celebrated a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and El Paso adopted a similar climate plan months later.
## Data Centers Under Construction
Work is underway on Project Jupiter in New Mexico and Meta’s data center in El Paso, with a third facility planned near Fort Bliss Army post.
## Emissions Impact
When fully built, the three data centers will emit millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to over two million cars.
## Air Quality Concerns
The data centers release air pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which directly affect local health and air quality.
## Regulatory Gaps
Texas and New Mexico have different approaches to climate regulation, with no federal law governing emissions or climate change.
## State Climate Policies
New Mexico has codified greenhouse gas reduction targets into state law, while Texas has not.
## Local Opposition
New Mexico state Rep. Sarah Silva, who represents Chaparral, expressed concerns about the data centers’ impact on local communities.
## Water and Emissions Tradeoffs
Texas legislators approved a data center sales tax break that could cost the state $3.2 billion in revenue over two years.
## Emissions Scale
The combined emissions from Project Jupiter and Meta could reach 10 million tons annually, far exceeding regional emissions in 2019.
## State Support for Data Centers
New Mexico lawmakers initially supported data center projects but later expressed concerns about emissions and local impacts.
## Energy Demand
Project Jupiter’s power plant could produce 2.45 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 1.5 million homes.
## State Responses
New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham praised Oracle’s use of fuel cells but did not address emissions concerns.
## Legal Challenges
New Mexico’s Supreme Court delayed Project Jupiter’s air permit hearing due to legal challenges.
## Texas Regulatory Hurdles
El Paso Electric is waiting for Texas’ Public Utility Commission to approve the Meta power plant.
## Climate Impact
El Paso’s temperatures have risen faster than almost any other city in the U.S. since 1970, with droughts worsening air quality.
## What Happens Next
Texas and New Mexico officials are considering new regulations to address data center impacts on water and electricity.
## Key takeaway

New Mexico and Texas data centers emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases annually, conflicting with state climate goals.