WV House speaker profiting from dual roles greasing gas-fired data center momentum

West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw, a Republican from Clay, is under scrutiny for alleged conflicts of interest. In his private legal practice, Hanshaw is representing developers of gas-fired data center projects against challenges from community and environmental advocacy groups, while simultaneously holding a powerful public office. The developers Hanshaw represents are MGS CNP 1 LLC, an affiliate of Houston-based Fidelis New Energy LLC, and Purcellville, Virginia-based Fundamental Data LLC. These companies are pursuing data center projects in Mason and Tucker counties, West Virginia. The projects are anticipated to release significant amounts of hazardous air pollutants and potentially strain local water resources, leading to challenges against their air quality permit approvals from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Adding to the conflict, Hanshaw's campaign committee received over $31,000 in contributions from fossil fuel companies, interest groups, electric utilities, and a PAC tied to Microsoft Corp. This sum represents nearly a third of his total contributions from late 2023 through the 2024 election period. This financial backing from industries with direct interests in the types of projects he defends privately contrasts with his public statements encouraging constituents to engage with their elected representatives. Furthermore, NextEra Energy, a contributor to Hanshaw's campaign, has an affiliate whose $1.16 billion power transmission line project in northern West Virginia has drawn over 4,000 comments in opposition.