Residents urge caution, committee or moratorium on data centers during packed public comment

Dozens of residents used the public-comment period at the July 7 San Juan County Commission meeting to press elected officials to act cautiously on prospective data centers.

Speakers from Bloomfield, the West Hammond area and other parts of the county raised consistent concerns about large water demands, potential light and noise impacts, habitat loss and a perceived pattern elsewhere in New Mexico of rushed approvals followed by unmet promises. Alyssa Begay, who said she represents a Shiprock chapter, urged commissioners to "consider our future generations" and flagged water as her "largest concern." Linda Corwin asked commissioners to "slow down and ask some questions," citing losses of habitat from prior projects and urging scrutiny of claims such as extracting water from air.

Several speakers urged the county to take proactive steps: Rebecca Davis and others urged a moratorium or an ordinance to ban or pause data-center approvals; Candy Blassingame recommended forming a transparent, balanced exploratory committee with utility engineers and hydrologists to set standards in advance so the county can negotiate from an informed position rather than being "stampeded" into a rushed yes or no.

Opponents cited recent legal and permitting controversies in other New Mexico counties as cautionary examples. Speakers also criticized nondisclosure tendencies in early-stage negotiations and asked the commission to prioritize water protection, ratepayer safeguards, closure bonding and explicit terms for permanent jobs.

Commissioners did not take formal action during the meeting; several asked staff and legal counsel to note concerns and consider options such as committees or policy language for future consideration.