Data Center Development Faces State Intervention For Failing To Prevent Flooding Of Neighbors
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued an enforcement order to the Monarch Cloud Campus data center in Mason County after repeated stormwater and erosion control failures led to flooding and sediment impacts on neighboring residential properties. The order requires immediate repairs, additional controls, and a halt to specific land-disturbing work. This marks the second such incident at the site.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has issued a unilateral enforcement order to the Monarch Cloud Campus data center in Mason County, West Virginia, following severe flooding incidents. An investigation by the DEP found that erosion and sediment controls at the construction site were overwhelmed during heavy rainfall on July 11, leading to sediment-laden water flowing onto neighboring residential properties. This incident is the second of its kind, with similar flooding reported in May.
DEP Cabinet Secretary Harold Ward emphasized that construction stormwater permits are intended to prevent sediment from leaving construction sites and protect adjacent properties. He affirmed that the WVDEP would take enforcement action when these controls fail. The enforcement order mandates that Monarch Cloud Campus immediately repair and reinforce failed stormwater controls, install additional erosion and sediment measures, and cease land-disturbing work in an area where construction had begun without the necessary sediment control structures.
The Monarch campus, which spans over 2,000 acres, is planned to house a state-certified AI microgrid with a capacity of up to eight gigawatts of power. The project is being developed by Fidelis New Energy and Nscale, with investments from Microsoft.