Speaker Hanshaw Signs on to Represent Fundamental Data, Governor Releases Data Center Fact Sheet

Speaker Roger Hanshaw, an attorney and Speaker of the West Virginia House, has filed to represent Fundamental Data, LLC, the developer of the Ridgeline Project, in the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals. This legal action follows a Notice to Appeal filed by citizen groups, including Tucker United, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, and The Sierra Club, on March 6th. The groups are challenging a February 5th decision by the West Virginia Air Quality Board that upheld an Air Quality Permit for the proposed Ridgeline Power Plant Project. Opponents view Hanshaw’s representation as an ethical conflict of interest, despite its apparent legality. Fundamental Data, a Delaware-chartered entity established to construct the Ridgeline Power Plant between Davis and Thomas, West Virginia, is at the center of the controversy. Community action groups, such as Tucker United, have vocally opposed the project, arguing it will deplete local aquifers, pollute air, land, and water, and negatively impact the region's vital tourism economy. They have also criticized House Bill 2014, claiming it diminishes local government authority. In related news, the Governor's Office released a "Fact vs. Fiction" document titled "Intelligence Centers" (referring to data centers) to address public concerns. This fact sheet aims to provide