Environmental groups threaten Clean Air Act lawsuit over San Antonio data centers

Three environmental organizations, the Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, and Public Citizen, have issued a formal notice of intent to sue Vantage Data Centers and VoltaGrid over two data center projects in West San Antonio. The groups accuse the developers of improperly obtaining streamlined state permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to bypass more stringent federal Clean Air Act requirements.

The projects, located at 14270 Omicron Drive and 5207 Rogers Road, include two natural-gas power plants and 151 backup diesel generators, collectively providing 423 megawatts. The environmental groups contend that these interconnected systems should be classified as major pollution sources, which would necessitate more rigorous pollution controls, monitoring, and public participation opportunities.

According to the legal notice, the facilities have the potential to emit significant amounts of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (which contribute to ground-level ozone), carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde annually. These allegations are particularly critical as Bexar County is designated as a "serious" ozone nonattainment area by the TCEQ. Vantage Data Centers stated it worked with regulators throughout development and would review the allegations. VoltaGrid and TCEQ did not provide comment, and the EPA declined to comment. Adrian Shelley, Texas director of Public Citizen, and Jen Duggan, Environmental Integrity Project executive director, are involved in the effort.