Data center air pollution permit under public review
The proposed Monarch data center campus in Point Pleasant, Mason County, is undergoing West Virginia air-quality permitting and public review. The plan includes hundreds of engines and other power-generation equipment intended to operate the campus independently of the traditional electric grid, with state officials evaluating emissions and compliance with air-quality standards.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is reviewing Monarch’s air-quality permit application for a proposed data center campus in Point Pleasant. The project would include three data centers powered by more than 100 primary engines, six natural-gas heaters, emergency generators and diesel-powered fire-water pump engines. The proposed power system could operate independently from the traditional electric grid.
The permit is being reviewed under the state’s Prevention of Significant Deterioration program, which models potential emissions impacts on nearby residents, farmland and the river. Officials said the application includes emissions testing, monitoring and recordkeeping requirements, but the review is limited to applicable air-quality standards and does not constitute a broader environmental-impact assessment. The state received the application in April and a revised version in May, with a public comment period underway and a public meeting scheduled.