Montana Vista Residents Oppose Proposed Fort Bliss Data Center

Residents raise concerns over water, air quality, and electricity costs if the data center is built.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 8:57pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a massive data server rack, its components illuminated by neon cyan and magenta lights, conceptually representing the energy-intensive infrastructure of a proposed data center.Residents in El Paso fear the energy demands of a proposed data center at Fort Bliss will strain the region's resources and drive up utility costs.El Paso Today

Residents in Montana Vista and nearby neighborhoods in El Paso, Texas are opposing a proposed data center to be built on land leased from Fort Bliss. The Sembrando Esperanza Coalition, which includes the Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH) organization, says the data center would negatively impact the region's water, air quality, and electricity prices. Residents have already received notices about potential transmission line trespassing onto their properties to serve the data center.

Why it matters

The proposed data center is part of a broader trend of data centers being built in the El Paso region, which residents say is contributing to environmental and economic challenges. The coalition argues the data centers' high energy demands will drive up electricity rates for local residents, even as they try to conserve energy through measures like solar panels.

The details

The Sembrando Esperanza Coalition has been opposing data centers in El Paso County since 2025, including the META AI Data Center in the City of El Paso. Now, the coalition says a private company called Carlyle will be building a data center on land it wants to lease from Fort Bliss, which would be located near the Montana Vista, Homestead Meadows, and Rich Beem neighborhoods. Residents argue this data center will consume the region's water, pollute the air, and increase utility prices.

  • Since the fall of 2025, the Sembrando Esperanza Coalition has opposed data centers in El Paso County.
  • On March 30, 2026, EACH and Sembrando Esperanza will hold a press conference ahead of the City of El Paso's meeting on data centers.

The players

Sembrando Esperanza Coalition

A coalition of residents from nine neighborhoods in El Paso County that organizes for economic and environmental justice and civic engagement.

Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH)

A member organization of the Sembrando Esperanza Coalition that has opposed data centers in the region.

Carlyle

A private company that the coalition says will be building a data center on land it wants to lease from Fort Bliss.

Ralph Carrasco

The president of Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH).

Mario Solano

The vice president of Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH).

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If we allow it, the Fort Bliss Data Center will be in our backyard in Montana Vista, Homestead Meadows and the Rich Beem neighborhood. Make no mistake, though, all of El Paso will be impacted.”

— Ralph Carrasco, President of Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH)

“Just like with water, we keep hearing that we have to conserve energy to help our environment and to save money. We spent thousands of dollars in solar panels to do both. And for what, so that META and now Carlyle can consume exorbitant amounts of electricity while EPE continues to raise our rates? These data centers are terrible for our local environment and economy.”

— Mario Solano, Vice President of Empowering Area Communities & Households (EACH)

“We are in a climate crisis and our elected leaders, business recruiters, and corporations need to meet the moment, not continue to contribute to the problem.”

— Saul Gonzalez, Organizer with Sembrando Esperanza

What’s next

EACH and Sembrando Esperanza said they will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday, March 30, at The Beast Urban Rec. Center, 13501 Jason Crandall, ahead of the City of El Paso's meeting on data centers.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing tensions between data center development and local community concerns over environmental and economic impacts in El Paso. Residents are pushing back against what they see as unsustainable energy demands and the potential for higher utility costs, even as they try to conserve resources.