West Virginia Data Center Project Faces Local Opposition, Sparks Congressional Debate
Residents of Tucker County, West Virginia, are actively opposing a proposed "largest data center campuses in the world" and its associated natural gas power plant, citing concerns about air and water pollution. This local battle is sparking a national debate among U.S. lawmakers about balancing economic development, AI's energy needs, and local community control, with some advocating for moratoriums on data center construction.
A proposed data center complex, spanning 10,000 acres between Thomas and Davis in Tucker County, West Virginia, and extending into Grant County, is facing significant local opposition. The project, described by its developer, Virginia-based Fundamental Data LLC, as potentially one of the "largest data center campuses in the world," includes a natural gas power plant with diesel backup generators and a solar facility.
Local organizer Nikki Forrester of Tucker United highlights widespread community concerns about air and water pollution, particularly impacting families with children near the proposed site. Residents feel unheard, pointing to a state law that overrides local control in favor of business development, which Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., acknowledges expedites projects for national interests like the AI race but frustrates constituents.
This localized conflict mirrors a growing national debate, with data center developments increasingly occurring in rural, often Republican-leaning areas. While Republicans like Moore and Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin express support for the industry due to competition with China and job creation, they also face pressure from constituents regarding environmental impacts and rising utility rates. Democrats, including Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, advocate for greater community collaboration and a more deliberate approach to data center placement, with some progressives supporting moratoriums.
Forrester emphasizes residents' distrust of Fundamental Data LLC due to inconsistent details and fear that natural resource extraction, a familiar pattern in West Virginia, will once again harm their communities. The issue is gaining political traction, as evidenced by the ousting of Utah's state Senate president after backing a data center project, suggesting data centers could become a key electoral issue by 2028.