DAVIS, W.Va. — Tucker County residents have lots to say about a proposed data center to be located in the county.
Many of them commented during a virtual public hearing Thursday night hosted by the state DEP on a air quality permit application from Virginia-based Fundamental Data LLC.
Matt Hauger, a Tucker County resident, said the Canaan Valley has quite the unique landscape, which causes the climate to be much more intense than other parts of the state.
“The topography of the Canaan Valley and surrounding region makes it uniquely, spectacularly susceptible to temperature inversions and the formation of pollution wells,” Hauger said. “Because of its high elevation, because of its bowl-like shape, the valley functions as a cold air sink. Cold air settles and becomes trapped at the valley floor, creating stagnant conditions that can persist for hours or days.”
The proposed data center comes after state lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year to encourage data centers. Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed the bill into law on May 1.
The new law (HB 2014) lays out a Certified Microgrid Program and a High Impact Data Center Program for West Virginia, aiming to attract and support these industries.
Morrisey and his administration have touted the bill’s focus on data centers, the physical facilities that house computer structures like servers and storage.
At Thursday’s public hearing, Hauger brought up that the Davis-area saw the coldest recorded temperatures for multiple days in 2024 and would likely rack up more record-low days if it weren’t for some of the areas west of the Rocky Mountains. He says a massive data center in this spot, which would be about a half mile away from Davis, could be detrimental to the valley’s air quality.
“The power plant’s emissions may not rise and dilute the way that standard models predict. Instead, they may accumulate at breathing level posing heightened risks to both human health and the surrounding ecosystem,” he said. “With prevailing westerly winds, carrying the emissions directly toward the Canaan Valley cold sink, the documented extreme temperature inversions would trap and concentrate them where people live, work, and recreate.”
“It may not be an exaggeration, based on this unique topography and air behavior, to say that this is among the worst places in the country, let alone the state, to put this power plant in terms of air quality,” he continued.
Amy Margolies, a public health expert and member of the community group Tucker United, says she’s worried about the proximity of the facility to both Davis and Thomas.
“My five-year-old and his soccer team practice on the very field that would be under the shadow of this power plant’s smoke stacks,” she said.
In June, Tucker United and other local groups sent a notice of appeal to the state’s Air Quality Board relating to Fundamental Data’s permit application confidentiality claims about equipment, air pollution, and more.
Fundamental Data is waiting for the outcome of the permit application before they buy the property, according to Davis Mayor Al Tomson.