Commissioners press for ordinance after San Juan Mesa wind project raises decommissioning and disposal concerns

Commissioners heard an update and raised environmental and land‑use questions about the San Juan Mesa renewable energy pilot, including how turbine decommissioning and energy infrastructure would be handled in Roosevelt County.

Chair (speaker 3) said she is concerned about past decommissioning practices in neighboring counties where turbine blades were cut on‑site and fiberglass debris was left exposed. "I don't want us to end up in the landfill," the chair said, arguing the county should not become a disposal site for blade waste.

Commissioners and staff agreed to coordinate with neighboring Chavez and Torrance counties, Soil and Water Conservation, and legal counsel to develop shared approaches and to draft a county land‑use ordinance that would set conditions for decommissioning, storage and disposal. Speaker 6 advised the commission that local police‑power ordinances can be used to impose disposal standards and that coordination with the New Mexico Environment Department may be needed to avoid regulatory conflicts.

Commissioners also raised questions about battery storage containers for solar projects and the water demands of proposed AI data centers. One commissioner noted data centers' high cooling water needs and suggested water‑use restrictions be considered in land‑use language.

The commission scheduled a committee meeting and asked staff to prepare a draft ordinance and consult technical partners and counsel before returning for further discussion.

Why it matters

The decisions will shape how the county accommodates large‑scale renewable projects and protect soil, air and groundwater from potential disposal or storage impacts. Drafting enforceable standards now may reduce future disputes and avoid leaving hazardous debris on private or public land.

Provenance

Topic introduced: SEG 941; latest related discussion: SEG 1404.