Marion County company studies data center development on 300-acre property

Hog Lick Aggregates, a Marion County business, has announced it is examining the feasibility of constructing a data center on its 300-acre quarry property in White Hall, West Virginia, with the potential to expand to 1,500 acres. Company president Brian Redmond stated that the company is exploring ways to mitigate local and environmental impacts, including using water from a nearby mine for a geothermal cooling loop. While Redmond highlighted the potential for job creation and leveraging abandoned coal mine resources, residents have expressed concerns on Facebook regarding the project's detrimental effects on the community. These concerns include the data center's potential to consume up to 1GW of power if fully expanded, which could necessitate new infrastructure and lead to increased electric costs. The proposed use of natural gas for this consumption also raises environmental worries about greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. There is currently no specific timeline for the project's construction, as Hog Lick Aggregates will need to either sell the site or partner with a data center developer to proceed.