By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, folks. Happy Tuesday. A variety of stories kept us busy yesterday, particularly Project Jupiter. You’ll find links to several reports about the controversial data center below, and all our ongoing data center reporting here. We’ve also got the latest on a Canadian company’s interest in mining for uranium in northern New Mexico, news from the Nov. 3 general election campaign trail and much more in today’s newsletter, as well as online at sourcenm.com. Thanks for reading.
The New Mexico Environment Department on Monday announced that Max Shepherd, the hearing officer presiding over Project Jupiter’s air quality permit hearing, pictured above at a July virtual meeting, had recused himself from the case. (Screenshot)
Project Jupiter air quality permit hearing officer recuses himself
Hearing Officer Max Shepherd has recused himself from the Project Jupiter data center air quality permit case, following environmental groups’ motion last week to disqualify him. Shepherd’s resignation comes as the state Supreme Court granted another environmental group’s request to temporarily delay the hearing, Source’s Joshua Bowling reports. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland also weighed in during a trip to southern New Mexico, saying the community deserves more transparency about the project. Finally, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced yesterday she had sent a letter to several New Mexico state agencies asking them to provide a “clear public accounting” of the various water sources that will support the project.
The Frijoles Fire burning in the Pecos Wilderness is 45% contained and has stayed at roughly 15,200 for more than 48 hours, officials announced on Monday. (Photo courtesy Inciweb)
Frijoles Fire officials report crew death, increasing containment
The team fighting the Frijoles Fire in the Pecos Wilderness announced Sunday that a crew member had died from a medical emergency. Two other personnel have suffered unspecified injuries in fighting the blaze, internal reports show. The announcement of the death arrived as fire officials reported slowing the fire’s growth over the weekend. As of Monday, it had remained at 15,200 acres since Saturday morning, and was 45% contained.
Gamma Resources, Ltd., a Canadian company seeking a federal permit for uranium exploration in Carson National Forest in New Mexico, issued a public statement in mid-August expressing regret over its lack of community outreach. (Photo of Canjilon Lake courtesy U.S. Forest Service)
Canadian uranium firm says lack of outreach in northern New Mexico a ‘mistake,” vows future candor
Gamma Resources Ltd., a Canadian company seeking to conduct uranium exploration in the Carson National Forest, said in a statement posted on the company’s website that it was a mistake to seek federal approval for the project without first consulting affected communities in northern New Mexico. Source’s Patrick Lohmann, who first reported on the proposal, writes that the company also pledged greater transparency going forward.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-La.), right, will visit Albuquerque on Wednesday to campaign for Greg Cunningham, a Republican challenging U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. (Johnson photo at U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2026, by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom; Cunningham photo by Danielle Prokop/Source NM)
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson will visit Albuquerque Wednesday to campaign for fellow Republican Greg Cunningham, a retired Marine and Albuquerque Police Department detective who’s challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) in the Nov. 3 general election. Johnson joined President Donald Trump in endorsing Cunningham in April for the 2nd Congressional District.
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