November elections are coming up quick, and so are data centers in New Mexico. This is a hot button issue, so why isn’t it on the ballot? So far neither candidate for governor has come out strongly on data centers, choosing to focus on other issues while tech corporations set up to take our water, poison our land, pollute our air at record speeds.
A ban on data centers should be a dividing line for these canidates (we know it is for New Mexicans) so why do they continue to sit on a fence?
What Deb Haaland didn’t say when asked about data centers in NM:
“Data centers are not welcome in New Mexico at all. We can’t afford for a single drop of water to go towards these centers. Project Jupiter needs to pack it up and leave. This is a life or death situation for New Mexico, and I’m not willing to play around with these corporations who have already proven to be under handed and slimy” (to reiterate, Deb Haaland did not say this, but she should.)
What Deb Haaland did say about Data Centers:
“We can’t afford that, so guardrails need to be put on data centers. We have precious natural resources and one of those is water. And I don’t think New Mexico is in a position with the climate crisis to spend all our water on one industry,”
Deb Haaland waxes on about data centers needing gaurdrails and transparent processes, but this is a distortion of the people’s demands. We don’t want data centers in New Mexico at all. These large corporations have already proven they are willing to side-step the democratic process and play dirty in order to get these things built. We want people in power who are going to get ahead of these tricks and outright ban data centers. Currently farmers can’t even get enough water for their crops. Wells are collapsing, aquifers are drying up, acequias are struggling, reservoirs are at record lows, and the Rio Grande is dry. There is no time to sit on a fence. This is life or death.
We don’t want a ‘regulated’ and ‘transparent’ amount of water for data centers- we want NO water for data centers.
Some lawmakers have proposed a state-wide data center moratorium, that wont be introduced until 2027. This isn’t quick enough. As we have seen with Project Jupiter, once these tech companies sink their teeth in, it’s even harder to get them to let go.
If Deb Haaland runs on a platform of banning Data Centers altogether, it would be a deterrent for these corporations coming here in the first place.
For those still wondering if we need data centers- we don’t. The rush to build them all over the world is essentially an arms race for AI supremacy between tech companies. They are targeting New Mexico not to bring us jobs or economic growth, but because this state has long been the site of ecological destruction. From the trinity site, to Los Alamos National labs, to the numerous superfund sites, the ruling class is used to being able to come in here and wreck havoc without answering to the people. Thats going to change.
Small towns and rural communities have been valiently fighting data centers trying to move in. This is extremely important, and their efforts are making an impact, but they need back up. These tech corporations keep us busy playing wack-a-mole while they plan another project in another part of the state. These corporations have an ungodly amount of political and financial resources to push data centers through.
Any future Governor of New Mexico should point blank call for a ban on data centers in New Mexico and say it loud and proud: New Mexico is not for sale, and not a drop of precious water should go to data centers.
We’re not going to vote for a candidate who is leaving the door cracked open for data centers and effectively putting the burden of fending them off on small communities.
No votes for Deb Haaland (or any candidate) who won’t call for a ban on data centers in NM!
Some might say we are hurting Deb’s chances of getting elected by putting this demand on her. But we don’t see it that way, in fact, she is hurting our chance at a future by side-stepping this issue. We don’t need another politician who’s going to pay lip service while selling us out.
This is our challenge to Deb Haaland: call for a state-wide ban on data centers, make this a dividing issue. We know data centers are death, so run on a platform of choosing life for New Mexicans. It could be challenging to call for a ban and defy these tech companies and unions who support them, but our futures depend on it. How can we trust you to stand up for us on the federal level if you sit on a fence about this?
This is what people are calling for, and if Deb Haaland wants votes, then she needs to publicly call for a state-wide ban on data centers now.
If Deb Haaland or any other candidate refuses to call for a ban, then we know exactly whose pocket they are already in.
We need everyday people to join this call. Go to campaign events and disrupt them til Deb Haaland condemns data centers, refuse to accept talk of guardrails. Spread this widely on social media and in real life: knock-on doors, speak to your church and join us at cultural events. If you know her personally, call her and tell her we’re not voting for her until she calls for a state-wide ban.
Sign onto the demand and take action.
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