WV leaders dig in on data center push despite oversight gaps amid resident protests
West Virginia lawmakers are actively promoting data center development statewide, downplaying resident concerns despite widespread protests and a recent lawsuit. This push follows state legislation, House Bill 2014, which removes local zoning control and accelerates approval processes for data center projects. Residents in Tucker and Putnam counties are vocally opposing specific projects, citing environmental impacts, resource strain, and a lack of transparency from developers, with one group initiating a legal challenge against an air quality permit.
West Virginia legislative leaders are strongly advocating for rapid data center development across the state, emphasizing economic benefits and dismissing potential risks, following their attendance at the Data Center World industry conference. Delegates Tristan Leavitt (Kanawha) and Jordan Maynor (Raleigh) highlighted West Virginia's power generation capacity and the attractiveness of House Bill 2014 to developers.
House Bill 2014, enacted at the request of Gov. Patrick Morrisey, aims to streamline the approval process for "high-impact" data centers (90+ megawatts) by stripping local governments of zoning and regulatory control and accelerating state certification decisions. The legislation is intended to meet developers' demand for quick project approvals.
However, this legislative push faces significant opposition from residents throughout the state, who are protesting specific data center projects due to concerns over water usage, electricity demands, and broader environmental impacts. In Tucker County, the community group Tucker United is actively opposing a project by Fundamental Data; they have filed a legal challenge against a redacted air quality permit approved by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Similarly, residents in Putnam County have urged their County Commission to increase oversight of a proposed Google data center near Buffalo and to challenge the constitutionality of HB 2014.