Pipeline project proposed to power Mason County Data Center
A public meeting was held in Mason County, West Virginia, to discuss a proposed 14-mile gas pipeline intended to power the Monarch Cloud Campus data center. Community members voiced concerns regarding noise, dust, water runoff, and the general impact of the project. The project requires a permit from the WVDEP for managing environmental impacts during construction.
A public meeting was convened in Mason County, West Virginia, to discuss a proposed 14-mile natural gas pipeline intended to power the Monarch Cloud Campus data center. Reporter Addie Smith from WSAZ NewsChannel 3 covered the event where numerous community members expressed strong opposition to both the data center and the associated pipeline project.
Terry Fletcher, Chief Communications Officer for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), clarified that Monarch Cloud Campus has applied for a general permit for oil and gas activities. This permit is required because the project will disturb more than one acre of land and dictates how storm water runoff, erosion, and sediment control must be managed during construction.
Residents at the meeting raised a variety of environmental and quality-of-life concerns. Christopher Smith, a Mason County resident, questioned the potential noise levels from the data center, the impact of dust and other airborne particles, and the risk of increased water runoff leading to flooding in the area. The community's sentiment indicated a strong desire for the data center and its supporting infrastructure not to proceed in their locality.