Questa councilman Jason Gonzalez along with Questa Mayor John Ortega joined officials with Kit Carson Electrical Cooperative recently as they traveled to Georgia on a trip to tour facilities producing materials that will be used in the construction of the planned green hydrogen plant in Questa.
The visit allowed officials to see firsthand how the technology operates and the safety measures in place before similar systems are installed locally.
Councilman Jason Gonzalez, who has previously been a vocal critic of the green hydrogen project, said the trip addressed many of his concerns, particularly regarding safety.
“I was quite impressed with the degree of security they put into the monitoring of the machines to ensure if there were a leak or any danger on the horizon, it would be immediately detected and defused,” Gonzalez said.
Mayor John Ortega said he continues to strongly support the project and believes it will bring economic benefits to the area.
“This project is going to stimulate our local economy by bringing projects for contractors as we work to get it established,” Ortega said. “It will also create about a dozen long-term jobs in the Questa area. I am proud to see growth happening to keep our local economy thriving.”
Gonzalez said while he remains cautious, the trip helped ease some of his concerns.
“I’m still skeptical of this project,” Gonzalez said, “however, this trip did help me feel much more at ease about the project as a whole and I am leaning toward being in favor of it.” While the trip appears to have won Gonzalez over, he said he remains closely attuned to local constituents who are concerned about the amount of water the project will require to operate. “We need better accountability on how our own water supply will be affected, especially amid the ongoing drought, and I will continue to advocate for that,” he said.
Village officials say the Georgia visit was part of an effort to ensure transparency and due diligence as plans for the green hydrogen facility continue to move forward.
