Residents in Tucker County said they are continuing to fight a proposed 500-acre natural gas power plant and data center complex. They argued the Ridgeline project would pose serious risks to human health and quality of life.

Alan Tomson, mayor of Davis, said at a recent town hall the project would emit plumes of air pollution linked to cancer, respiratory diseases and developmental harm in children.

“There’s 30 large power plants in our region, and arguably, this power plant would be in the top 10,” Tomson said. “They’re all major source pollutants as opposed to a minor source.”

State regulators approved an air quality permit for the plant earlier this year. Supporters of Ridgeline and similar data center projects argue they can spur economic growth and expand energy capacity.

Last year, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2014, known as the Power Generation and Consumption Act. The law allows for the expansion of energy infrastructure and the use of coal and natural gas to power data centers.

Tomson believes state lawmakers and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection failed residents by advancing Ridgeline and similar permits.

“I would maintain that the DEP did not live up to their mission, which is to protect the environment,” Tomson contended. “I don’t think that they applied any judgment to the process, nor did they use any common sense.”

Other projects around the state include a large-scale data center in Putnam County owned by Google and a more than 500-acre data center campus in Berkeley County, led by the real estate development firm Penzance Management.

Source: Public News Service