A review by New Mexico’s attorney general suggests a substantial share of the public comments on an air permit for the Project Jupiter data center cannot be treated as genuine public opinion until they are checked, KOAT reports.
In a letter KOAT published, Attorney General Raúl Torrez said his office examined all 17,419 comments filed on the permit and found that roughly 60%, between 10,000 and 10,600, were nearly identical form letters in support. The flagged comments came from about 9,000 internet addresses and often listed out-of-state phone numbers, even though the portal did not ask for one.
In a letter to Environment Secretary James Kenney, Torrez wrote that the review does not establish who submitted any comment or why. He asked the department to preserve its portal data, label the flagged comments "unverified," ask the hearing officer whether to consider them, and possibly reopen the comment period.
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The investigation began in July after residents and officials, including state Rep. Cristina Parajón and Albuquerque City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, said comments had been filed in their names without consent, as KOAT reported earlier.
An Environment Department spokesman said the agency is cooperating. Oracle, which is involved in the Doña Ana County project, said it has cooperated fully and cautioned against overshadowing residents who commented honestly, KOAT reported.
What's Next
Torrez asked the Environment Department to label the flagged comments "unverified," let the hearing officer decide whether to consider them, and possibly reopen the comment period.
Why It Matters
The comments are part of the air permit review for Oracle's Project Jupiter data center in Doña Ana County.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from KOAT’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit KOAT’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
