Local Politics
  1. Home
  2. US
  3. Texas
  4. El Paso
  5. Issues

Meta Data Center Community Agreement

At a glance

  • What: A proposed Community Agreement between the City and Meta Platforms, Inc. over its data center project in El Paso, being negotiated with utilities, education and workforce partners and community stakeholders.
  • Where it stands: At the September 14, 2026 work session staff gave an update; no draft agreement was before Council and no action was taken. Meta has agreed to hold community meetings in all Council districts.
  • Next: A draft agreement had not been completed. Boyar Trejo asked Mack that the partner agencies and Meta present when it returns to Council. The September 29 vote on a Meta grant application for the Climate Action Plan is separate (see Climate Action Plan Grant).

September 14, 2026 work session

  • Presenters: Berjano (Strategic Legislative Affairs Senior Climate Programs Manager) and Omar Martinez (Assistant Director of Strategic Legislative Affairs) gave a PowerPoint update on technical discussions with Meta and regional stakeholders. Mayor Johnson and Acevedo commented; Mack commented; public speakers were Muniz and Osmond. NO ACTION was taken.
  • Boyar Trejo commented and had her statement attached to the minutes. Points from it:
    • Council directed the coordination and drafting of a Community Agreement; there is no draft before Council. The City Manager had said that if a draft was not completed within 45 days Council would receive an update, and this presentation is that update.
    • Background she recounted: a first community meeting on Meta with El Paso Electric and El Paso Water over a year earlier; a Data Policy Framework approved in February and presented in July; colleagues' items on ratepayer protections, state regulatory advocacy and no longer pursuing, recruiting or incentivizing future hyperscale data centers.
    • At the June 9 meeting outside and City legal counsel advised that terminating could create financial liabilities for the City that would fall on taxpayers, and that Meta already owned the property, so termination would not necessarily stop construction. At the following Council meeting she brought forward the Community Agreement, which was approved unanimously.
    • Meta has agreed to hold community meetings across all Council districts; the next phase is to turn conversations into defined commitments, responsibilities, measurable outcomes, timelines and accountability.
    • She asked that agencies and partners present when the agreement comes back, and asked Meta to speak so residents can hear its commitment.

Sources

Log

2026-09-14 - City Council Work Session

Item 1, update on the technical discussions toward a Community Agreement with Meta. Presentation, comments and two public speakers; no action. Boyar Trejo attached a written statement to the minutes.