CURRENT PRESS RELEASE
NMELC & NM WILD Motion to File and Amicus Curiae Brief Supporting Sandia Pueblo
NMELC & NM WILD Motion to File and Amicus Curiae Brief Supporting Sandia Pueblo filed on April 27, 2026
Read full brief.
Past Press Releases
NMELC Lawsuit Against Doña Ana County Re Project Jupiter Funding Proceeds after Court Denies County Motion to Dismiss
Lawsuit on Behalf of Community Members Argues that County Violated the Law When Approving IRBs/LEDA Funding Based on Incomplete Information
Las Cruces, NM— Judge Jennifer DeLaney today denied Doña Ana County Commission’s motion to dismiss NMELC’s lawsuit against the County for its approval of tax incentives for Project Jupiter during a hearing held in the Third Judicial Court on Friday, March 20th. The decision is a victory for community members who will be harmed if the massive hyperscale data center moves forward. …
NM Mining Watch MORP Request for Hearing and Comments 2/17/26
February 17, 2026
Re: New Mexico Mining Watch comments on Mining Operations and Reclamation Plan and request for hearing on Permit No. CI008RN, La Jara Mesa Mine …
NMELC Files Lawsuit Against Doña Ana County Commission for Open Meetings Act Violations
NMELC FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DOÑA ANA COUNTY COMMISSION FOR OPEN MEETING ACT VIOLATIONS COMMITTED DURING SEPTEMBER 19 PUBLIC HEARING ON PROJECT JUPITER
The Lawsuit Alleges That the Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners Unlawfully Closed its Public Meeting Without Notice to the Public
February 6, 2026
Las Cruces, NM—On Friday, February 6, 2026, New Mexico Environmental Law Center filed a second lawsuit against the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners in the Third Judicial District Court, for violating the New Mexico Open Meetings Act. …
Complaint for Violation of New Mexico Open Meetings Act–2-6-26
Complaint for Violation of New Mexico Open Meetings Act.
Read full complaint. …
Letter to NMED Re Language Access & Acoma, LLC West & East Microgrid Air Quality Permit Applications
Dear New Mexico Environment Department:
This letter is in regards to the two air quality permit applications submitted by Acoma, LLC, for its microgrid facility: ….
New Mexico Attorney General Joins 13 Other States in Affirming the Legality of Environmental Justice
NM Mining Watch Applauds NM Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s Endorsement of the “Multi-state Guidance Affirming the Importance and Legality of Environmental Justice Initiatives” —A Major Victory for NM Communities!
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—On Wednesday, January 21, 2026 New Mexico joined thirteen other states in uplifting the importance and legality of Environmental Justice in light of President Trump’s Executive Orders that had introduced confusion over the legality of Environmental Justice activities…..
Multi-State Guidance Affirming the Importance and Legality of Environmental Justice Initiatives
January 16, 2026
The Attorneys General of California, Massachusetts, and New York, joined by the Attorneys General of Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont, issue this Guidance to affirm the importance and legality of efforts to advance environmental justice, which seek a healthy environment for all people across the United States in which to live, play, work, learn, and worship.
Southern NM Written Testimony for US House Committee on Small Business’ Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy and Supply Chains 1/21/26
January 21, 2026
WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD BEFORE THE U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS’ SUBCOMMITTEE ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY, AND SUPPLY CHAINS
Community Members of Santa Teresa, Sunland Park, and Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Dear Chairman Williams, Subcommittee Chairman Ellzey, and members of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business’ Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains:
NM Orgs Demand Public Transparency & Access Concerning Project Jupiter Air Quality Permits
January 20, 2026
Secretary James Kenney
New Mexico Environment Department
Air Quality Bureau
525 Camino de los Marquez, Ste. 1
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
490 Old Santa Fe Trail Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Dear Secretary James Kenney and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham,
We, the undersigned organizations, write to express our concern regarding the significant risks to the public health and environment, public transparency, and regulatory accountability that Project Jupiter poses to residents of Santa Teresa, Sunland Park, Doña Ana County, and the state of New Mexico. …
12/15/25 Follow Up Letter to NMED -Acoma LLC Applications
Monday, December 15, 2025
Re: Request for Adequate Public Notice – Acoma LLC Permit Applications
Dear New Mexico Environment Department:
Thank you for your response to our December 12 letter, attached, expressing initial interest in Acoma, LLC’s two air pollution permit applications for the following facilities related to Project Jupiter …
12/12/25 Letter to NMED -Acoma LLC Applications
Friday, December 12, 2025
Dear New Mexico Environment Department:
Please accept this letter expressing initial interest in two air quality permit applications and corresponding Notices of Air Quality Permit Applications published in the Las Cruces Sun News on November 14, 2025. Acoma, LLC, announced its applications to the New Mexico Environment Department for two air quality permits for the construction of two neighboring microgrid facilities:
Local Community Sues Doña Ana County to Stop Billions of Tax Dollars Going to OpenAI Data Center
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Lawsuit Cites Project Jupiter’s Incomplete and Inadequate Application
Las Cruces, NM—On Friday, October 17, 2025, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County; José Saldaña Jr., resident of Sunland Park; and Vivian Fuller, resident of Santa Teresa, filed a lawsuit in the Third Judicial District Court against the Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners for their unlawful approval of three ordinances related to Project Jupiter, the massive hyperscale data center proposed in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. …
Click to read full press release.
Governor’s Response to Our Letter RE: Tritium Venting
On Friday, September 12th, NMELC received the following response to our letter urging her to halt Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) proposed tritium venting: "The New Mexico Environment Department is actively monitoring Los Alamos National Laboratory’s...
NMELC Letter to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Urging to Halt Tritium Venting
September 12, 2025
Via email: michelle@newmexicansformichelle.com
Re: Urgent call to halt Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Saturday, September 13, 2025
tritium venting
Governor Lujan Grisham:
This letter serves as an urgent call to halt Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) proposed tritium venting scheduled to begin tomorrow, September 13, 2025. Given your strong commitment to the health and well-being of New Mexico’s children, most recently demonstrated through your initiative to guarantee no-cost universal child care to all New Mexicans – we urge you to act quickly to protect children who stand to be the most impacted by LANL’s actions this weekend.
NMELC Responds to Doxxing Incident by Doña Ana County Commissioner
Monday, September 8, 2025
We Will Defend the Constitutional Rights of Community Members to Submit Comments and Will Not Tolerate Intimidation Tactics
ALBUQUERQUE, NM— On Friday, September 5, 2025, Doña Ana County Commissioner Shannon Reynolds made a public post on Facebook exposing the name, home address, and email address of a New Mexico resident, seemingly in an effort to intimidate the person based on their opposition to Project Jupiter. Additionally, Commissioner Reynolds posted a lengthy list of names of individuals, many of whom are Doña Ana County residents, that have submitted written public comment to the County in opposition to Project Jupiter – the proposed hyperscale multi-data center proposed in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, by BorderPlex Digital Assets, LLC.. …