DEP OKs Fundamental Data Tucker Co. site control claim for data center-linked project
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has accepted Fundamental Data LLC's claim of site control for a controversial data center complex in Tucker County, West Virginia. This follows the DEP's request for documentation proving site control for the planned Ridgeline facility, which had an air quality permit approved in 2025. The company provided a redacted purchase and sale agreement for the 291-acre site.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has acknowledged that Fundamental Data LLC, a Virginia-based company, has site control over a 291-acre property in Tucker County, West Virginia. This site is slated for a large data center complex, which has been met with controversy. The DEP's acceptance came after Laura Crowder, Director of the DEP's Division of Air Quality, requested documentation from Fundamental Data LLC to verify control of the site for its proposed gas-fueled turbine power facility, known as the Ridgeline facility.
Fundamental Data LLC responded by providing a heavily redacted copy of a July 2024 purchase and sale agreement with Western Pocahontas Properties Limited Partnership. The company had previously indicated site control in its March 2025 air quality permit application, which was approved in August 2025. The proposed power plant is planned off U.S. 48, near the cities of Thomas and Davis in Tucker County.