Data Centers Spark Environmental Alarm in Ciudad Juárez: A Cross-Border Investigation
In a region already grappling with severe water stress, the looming presence of two colossal data centers on the U.S. side of the border is casting a long, ominous shadow over Ciudad Juárez. Environmental collectives, spanning both sides of the U.S.-Mexico frontier, are urgently calling for the activation of binational mechanisms to scrutinize and regulate these megaprojets, warning of dire environmental consequences for shared resources.
This week, activists from the Binational Coalition for Environmental Protection delivered a formal document to the Municipal Presidency of Juárez, addressed to all three levels of Mexican government. Their demand: an immediate audit and oversight of the construction of two massive data centers-Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, driven by OpenAI and Oracle, and Meta’s planned facility in northeast El Paso, Texas.
The Thirst of AI Giants: Overexploiting Shared Aquifers
At the heart of the controversy is the insatiable demand for water and energy these data centers will require. Designed as vast infrastructure hubs for Artificial Intelligence training, their cooling systems alone are projected to consume immense quantities of water. This is a critical concern for a desert region where water scarcity is already a daily reality, impacting the lives of millions.
“We are not against technology, that’s a fact; everyone uses it, and we are not against artificial intelligence in general,” stated Damián López, a member of the Coalition. “We are against the installation of data centers on our transboundary aquifers, because they have been overexploited for decades… furthermore, there is no binational legislation for this groundwater; there is only legislation for the surface waters of the Rio Grande.”
Dr. Jorge Salas Plata Mendoza, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez and a specialist in water issues, echoed these concerns, explaining that “although (the data centers) are installed in the United States, let us remember that aquifers do not respect political borders. Aquifers extend from one side to the other of the countries, and when they extract water, then here too the water tables will drop.”
Salas Plata warned that the Hueco and Mesilla (Conejos Médanos) bolsones-the primary sources of groundwater in the region-are already suffering from overexploitation. This has led to “serious problems in water quality, because heavy metals like arsenic, which are carcinogenic and represent a great threat to public health, are being diluted at an accelerated rate.”
A Veil of Secrecy: Lack of Environmental Impact Assessment
López further alleged that both projects are already undergoing site clearing, and their approval was illegal due to a complete absence of environmental impact assessments and proper public consultation. He also claimed that these projects would be funded by U.S. public resources, raising questions about accountability and transparency.
Activists, including academics, researchers, and community organizers from both nations, stressed that technological advancement should not come at the expense of environmental protection or the preservation of natural resources. They urged Mexican authorities to actively participate in demanding robust environmental protection measures, considering the shared natural environment and hydrological resources between the two countries.
Beyond water depletion, the Coalition warned of potential impacts such as increased atmospheric and noise pollution, and the possible displacement of local species, further exacerbating ecological fragility.
Official Endorsements Amidst Public Outcry
Despite these alarming warnings, local border governments appear to have greenlit these megaprojets. On September 18, the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners approved the issuance of bonds to finance Project Jupiter, a four-data center complex for AI near Santa Teresa. This massive investment, valued at $165 billion and promoted by BorderPlex Digital Assets and Stack Infrastructure for Oracle and OpenAI, triggered extensive debate regarding its water and energy footprint.
The 30-year agreement includes significant tax incentives, reducing property tax payments for the company. In return, the company will contribute $12 million annually, totaling $360 million over three decades. Project representatives claimed the creation of 750 full-time jobs, 50 part-time, and 2,500 temporary construction jobs, with a projected water consumption of 20,000 gallons per day, equivalent to the average use of 50 households.
However, citizens voiced strong opposition. Daisy Maldonado, director of the Doña Ana Empowerment Congress, highlighted the temporary nature of construction jobs: “The 2,500 construction jobs sound very impressive, but those jobs will disappear in two and a half years. What will remain are several massive data centers consuming our water and a natural gas plant that will also consume our water and pollute our air. What will remain is a community sacrificed again.”
A month later, on October 15, Meta confirmed the installation of its 25th data center in the U.S. in El Paso. This 1.2-million-square-foot campus, dedicated to AI operations, represents an investment exceeding $1.5 billion. Meta anticipates creating approximately 100 permanent jobs and up to 1,800 construction jobs. The company cited the region’s “robust electrical grid” and workforce as reasons for its choice, promising to offset electricity consumption with “100% clean and renewable energy.” Meta also committed to being “water positive” by 2030, pledging to restore 200 percent of the water consumed by the data center in local basins.
A Call for Binational Action
The formal letter, addressed to Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, Governor María Eugenia Campos Galván, and Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, cites the 1984 Agreement between the United Mexican States and the United States of America on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area. Specifically, it references sections 2 and 7, which mandate both parties to “adopt appropriate measures to prevent, reduce, and eliminate sources of pollution in their respective territories that affect the border area of the other” and to “evaluate, as appropriate… projects that may have significant impacts on the environment of the border area.”
The document also invokes Chapter 24 of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which obliges parties to maintain high levels of environmental protection and to refrain from weakening environmental laws to promote trade or investment.
Furthermore, the letter questions the involvement of municipal officials, including the Director of Economic Development, Tania Maldonado, and the Juárez municipal government’s representative in El Paso, Juan Acereto. These officials reportedly intervened in favor of Project Jupiter during a Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners session in September 2022, highlighting supposed economic benefits.
“In contrast to the statements of Juárez government officials, the construction of these two large-scale projects faces strong opposition from communities in New Mexico, Texas, and Chihuahua, to such an extent that there is currently a Binational Coalition against both megaprojets,” the letter states.
The Binational Coalition for Environmental Protection, formed in response to the announcement of these border data centers, demands that all three levels of government:
- Comply with the binational agreement published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on March 22, 1984.
- Instruct competent institutions-CILA, Conagua, and others-to consider the effects of these megaprojets on the Conejos-Médanos/Mesilla Bolson and Hueco Bolson aquifers, as well as associated atmospheric pollution.
- In the framework of the USMCA and the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, the Government of Mexico activate available mechanisms (Commission for Environmental Cooperation and Environmental Committee) to formally express concern to their U.S. counterparts regarding unsustainable water use, associated pollution, and the omission of impacts on Mexican communities.
Following their visit to the Municipal Presidency, the collective delivered the official letter to the Chihuahua State Government’s representation in El Pueblito Mexicano and to the Secretariat of Welfare’s service module at El Paseo shopping plaza.
This investigation reveals a concerning pattern of alleged environmental oversight and potential exploitation of shared resources, raising critical questions about the balance between technological advancement and ecological responsibility in a vulnerable border region.
Our questions remain unanswered:
- Why were these projects approved without transparent environmental impact assessments?
- How will the Mexican government ensure the protection of shared aquifers and air quality?
- Will binational agreements be enforced to hold tech giants accountable for their environmental footprint?
- What measures will be taken to address the concerns of local communities and environmental experts?
What next?
Our findings have been submitted to relevant environmental and governmental bodies. We will continue to monitor this developing situation and advocate for transparent and environmentally responsible development.
Source: https://yociudadano.com.mx/centros-de-datos-en-santa-teresa-y-el-paso-generan-alarma-ambiental-en-ciudad-juarez/
