Haaland backs data center moratorium in New Mexico

New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland (D) on Thursday backed a moratorium on the construction of data centers in her state, citing environmental and workforce-related concerns.

In a policy framework on her website, Haaland backed “open, transparent, and meaningful” conversations within communities about the impacts of AI data centers.

She also called for requiring data centers to build their own renewable energy infrastructure to prevent energy costs from trickling down to New Mexicans and establishing safeguards to protect the environment. Data centers must be “built and run with New Mexico labor,” Haaland’s proposal noted.

Haaland, the Biden administration’s Interior secretary, said in a statement that New Mexicans “are right to be concerned” about the rapid development of data centers.

“Our communities should be protected. That’s why I support a moratorium on data centers until the state adopts clear and transparent accountability measures for this industry,” added Haaland, who is running against Republican Gregg Hull, the former mayor of Rio Rancho.

The former Interior secretary and congresswoman also argued her state “has the opportunity to lead the way” on how to protect our communities, safeguard our water, boost our economy, and sustain our environment for generations to come.”

The Hill has reached out to Hull’s campaign for comment.

There are 21 operational data centers in New Mexico, with one such facility under construction, five planned, one paused and one inactive, according to the U.S. Data Center Map .

The risk to the state’s climate, as assessed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, from data centers is relatively high, per the tracking project.

A growing number of Americans and politicians have called for curbs on data center construction. That comes as concerns on Capitol Hill percolate about rapidly advancing AI models .

Data centers accounted for more than 4 percent of the country’s electricity consumption in 2024, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Pew Research Center . The IEA projected last year that U.S. data centers’ electricity consumption will increase by nearly 133 percent by 2030.