Davis Mayor Testifies Before Congress Raising His Concerns Over Project Near Community

Davis, West Virginia, Mayor Al Tomson recently testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, expressing significant concerns about a proposed 1,600-megawatt natural gas power plant, known as the Ridgeline Power Plant, near his community. The plant, proposed by Virginia-based Fundamental Data, is designed to support a data center spanning up to 10,000 acres, located just a few thousand feet from downtown Davis. Mayor Tomson warned that this project, coupled with potential federal legislation, could allow private companies to use Brownfields funding for large industrial developments without sufficient safeguards or local input. He specifically criticized a proposal that could classify such projects as "nationally significant infrastructure," potentially bypassing federal environmental reviews and receiving federal funding through the Brownfields program. Tomson argued that these actions would be harmful to the community, represent an overreach of federal authority, and threaten Davis's tourism economy and quality of life. During his testimony, given on behalf of the National Brownfields Coalition, Tomson also highlighted a successful local redevelopment project in Davis that utilized EPA Brownfields funding. He urged Congress to reauthorize the existing Brownfields program with minimal changes, cautioning against controversial provisions that could undermine its effectiveness.