On Tuesday, the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners took swift action on a compliance issue involving the Project Jupiter data‑center under construction in the Santa Teresa area. Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the Acting County Managers and the Interim County Attorney to issue a formal notice of breach under the project’s Impact Review Board (IRB) and Community Benefits Agreement.
Missed reporting deadline triggers breach notice
County officials said the deadline for the third‑quarter 2026 job‑creation report was October 31. As of 5 p.m. the day before the vote, the county had not received the complete report. “The jobs report deadline of October 31st was missed. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the County still had not received complete job reports for the third quarter of 2026,” a county spokesperson told ABC‑7.
This is the second instance in 2026 that Project Jupiter failed to meet the reporting requirement set out in the Local Economic Development Act agreement, which ties quarterly job‑report submissions to state disbursements. Failure to comply could jeopardize future state funding for the project.
Project Jupiter’s response
STACK Infrastructure, one of the companies leading the development, issued a statement to ABC‑7 emphasizing its commitment to the county. “STACK takes its commitments to Doña Ana County seriously. We value our ongoing dialogue with state and local officials regarding the quarterly jobs reporting requirements and appreciate the continued engagement,” the statement read.
The company also highlighted its progress on job creation. “As of October 2026, the project is already exceeding its job creation commitments under the Community Benefits Agreement, with more than 5,000 workers on site. Of those workers, 1,652 are New Mexico residents, including 756 Doña Ana County residents, and nearly half are union workers. These numbers have been submitted to the county,” the statement said.
What the breach notice means
The breach notice gives Project Jupiter a limited window to cure the deficiency by providing the missing job‑creation data. If the data are not supplied within the timeframe specified in the notice, the county may pursue further remedies, including withholding state disbursements that are contingent on compliance with the IRB and Community Benefits Agreement.
Commissioner Chair Manuel Sanchez, who moved the resolution, said the county must enforce the agreement to protect local workers and ensure the promised economic benefits are realized. “We are committed to holding developers accountable for the promises they make to our community,” Sanchez said.
Local impact and next steps
Project Jupiter is expected to become a major employer in the region once fully operational, and the county’s oversight role is designed to safeguard that potential. County officials will monitor the situation closely and keep the public informed of any further developments.
Residents and local businesses are encouraged to stay engaged with the county’s economic‑development office for updates on the project’s progress and any additional community‑benefit initiatives.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
