Environmental Groups contest San Antonio data centers’ air pollution

Environmental groups, including the Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, and Public Citizen, have announced their intent to sue Vantage Data Centers and VoltaGrid LLC in San Antonio, Texas. The groups accuse the companies of circumventing the Clean Air Act by improperly obtaining "minor" air permits for their data centers and associated power generation facilities, which include diesel generators and natural gas power plants. They argue these are "massive projects" operating in residential areas that should have applied for "major source" permits, which would require stricter pollution controls, public meetings, and emission monitoring.

Mary Greene, enforcement director at the Environmental Integrity Project, stated that the data centers are threatening residents' health and should have sought permits that mandate pollution controls and operational limits. Vantage Data Centers, through spokesman Mark Freeman, affirmed their commitment to environmental responsibilities and compliance, noting they worked with regulatory agencies, but declined to comment on pending legal matters. VoltaGrid LLC did not respond to inquiries. Legal experts Wayne D

Angelo and David Spence agree that data centers with their own power generation, especially gas-powered turbines, likely meet the threshold for major air permits.

The groups' 60-day notice of intent to sue is a necessary step before filing a lawsuit under the Clean Air Act. They allege the companies used a "piecemeal approach" to permitting by applying separately for power generation and data center units located on the same site to avoid the major-source threshold. This challenge follows a report by Floodlight indicating that Texas regulators have issued minor air pollution permits to numerous data centers. Residents, like Millie White, express concern over the invisible air pollution and potential health risks.