Environmental group challenges emissions review for Valera data center in Spartanburg County
The Southern Environmental Law Center is asking South Carolina officials to reopen public comment on the Valera data center project in Spartanburg County. The group says the state revised the facility's formaldehyde emissions estimate after the comment period ended, potentially raising emissions above a threshold that would trigger stricter pollution controls.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, represented by senior attorney Frank Holleman, is challenging the environmental review for the Valera data center project in Spartanburg County. The group says the project initially estimated controlled formaldehyde emissions at just under 10 tons per year, using an emissions reduction technology that was not being used and is no longer marketed.
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services later acknowledged that Valera had used the wrong emissions factor and recalculated potential emissions at 10.58 tons per year using additional information from the company. The environmental group argues that the revised calculations were not disclosed for public review and is asking the agency to reopen the comment period. The department said it would respond to questions, while Valera had not yet commented at the time of the report.