Plans for a data center threaten scenic wilderness and dark skies in West Virginia
Fundamental Data LLC is proposing the Ridgeline data center and power campus on a reclaimed coal-mining site near Davis in Tucker County, West Virginia. Residents and environmental groups oppose the project over its potential effects on dark skies, air quality, water supplies and the region’s tourism economy, while state officials and some local leaders support its expected jobs and tax revenue.
Fundamental Data LLC plans to develop the Ridgeline project near Davis and Thomas in Tucker County, beginning with a 785-megawatt natural-gas power plant and data center campus on about 291 acres. The development could eventually expand to thousands of acres, including portions of neighboring Grant County, and would support artificial intelligence, cloud computing and enterprise systems. Residents fear increased light pollution, air emissions, water contamination and damage to the area’s outdoor-recreation and dark-sky economy.
Opposition is led by Tucker United, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and the Sierra Club. The groups challenged the project’s air-quality permit after the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection approved it, but their appeal was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds; they say they plan to seek review by the West Virginia Supreme Court. The West Virginia Legislature also passed, and Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed, legislation exempting high-impact data centers and certified microgrid districts from many county and municipal zoning and land-use restrictions. Fundamental Data says the project would create temporary construction work and about 500 permanent jobs, while supporters including Tucker County Sheriff Jake Kopec argue it would provide needed employment and tax revenue.