Data Center Backlash Greets West Virginia Lawmakers
West Virginia state lawmakers visiting Tucker County faced strong opposition to data center development from local residents and advocacy groups. The opposition focused on state laws providing regulatory shortcuts and tax cuts for developers, which critics argue strip local communities of control. The company proposing a large data center campus and power plants, Fundamental Data, declined to participate in a public panel discussion.
West Virginia state lawmakers encountered significant local opposition to data center development during a recent "interim" legislative session in Tucker County. Protesters greeted legislators at Canaan Valley Resort State Park, underscoring deep community concerns.
During a press conference at the Davis Town Hall, Democratic lawmakers criticized new state laws, enacted by Republicans, that offer regulatory shortcuts and substantial tax incentives to data center developers. These critics, including Democratic Delegate Evan Hansen, argue the legislation removes local communities' control over state-certified data center projects.
Chris Morris, director of the West Virginia Data Economy Office, stated his commitment to collaborating with local communities to address their concerns, pledging to establish a citizen advisory council to recommend state-wide data center standards and policies. Conversely, Republican Delegate JB Akers defended the state's deregulatory approach, citing the necessity of attracting jobs and retaining young adults, though he acknowledged potential for minor adjustments. Other panelists countered that data centers would create few local employment opportunities.
Amy Margolies, executive director of the grassroots group Tucker United, which opposes a proposed local data center project, stressed the importance of securing legally binding commitments from developers instead of relying on verbal assurances. Fundamental Data, the Delaware-incorporated company planning a 10,000-acre campus with data centers and three power plants near Davis and Thomas, declined an invitation to participate in a co-sponsored panel discussion held at the Davis Volunteer Fire Department.