El Paso City Representative Josh Acevedo has announced his intention to propose an item at the upcoming City Council meeting to terminate the Chapter 380 Economic Development Program Agreement with Meta Platforms Inc. and its subsidiary, Wurldwide LLC. This agreement pertains to the construction of a hyperscale data center in Northeast El Paso.
Community Concerns
Representative Acevedo emphasized that the decision to propose the termination comes after listening to the community’s concerns. Residents have expressed worries about the potential strain on local water resources and increased pollution due to the data center’s gas-powered electrical plant. Acevedo stated, “We have heard loud and clear from the community on this issue and now is the time to break the contract agreement with Meta.”
El Paso, being a desert community, places a high value on its water and air quality. During six community meetings held by the City to discuss a data center policy framework, residents voiced their apprehensions about the environmental impact of the proposed data center. Acevedo added, “As residents of a desert community, the value of our water and air far outweigh any revenues the City would collect or possibly lose from this major data center.”
Regional Context
The proposed Meta data center is not the only one planned in the region. There are plans for a massive data center at Fort Bliss and another in neighboring Doña Ana County. Acevedo argues that the cumulative effect of these developments could pose significant risks to the community’s health and natural resources. “We cannot afford to put our community’s health and natural resources at risk. Action must be taken now,” he asserted.
This issue has been a topic of discussion in the Borderland area, with KVIA ABC-7 previously reporting on the construction of data centers, including the Meta data center in Northeast El Paso. The outcome of the proposed termination will be closely watched as it could set a precedent for how local governments balance economic development with environmental and community health concerns.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
