Data centers spark cross-state debates over water, power, and local control

Across Nebraska and New Mexico, communities weigh the economics of data-center development against environmental and resource concerns. Nebraska’s Cass County approved a 12-month moratorium that could stall Tenaska’s potential energy/data-center project and nearby CyrusOne plans, while labor groups tout local jobs. In New Mexico, Oracle’s Project Jupiter faces a court challenge over water withdrawals, raising fears drought-stricken regions could lose farms and services. Republicans and Democrats alike frame data centers as either economic boosters or environmental risks, leading to pauses and stricter oversight of grid impacts and water use.