Regulators Reaffirm Approval For Microgrid Generator, Data Center In Tucker County

The West Virginia Air Quality Board on Thursday denied all but one objection brought by citizen groups including the Sierra Club against the air quality permit for Fundamental Data’s Ridgeline Facility in Tucker County.

The Ridgeline Facility received air quality and construction permits last summer from the Division of Air Quality of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Citing “trade secrets,” the DEP also approved redactions of emissions data and other information in the draft permit for the microgrid energy facility.

Thursday’s decision came following a two-day hearing held in December at the DEP headquarters in Charleston where the citizen groups argued for the release of all redacted information in the site’s air quality permit application.

In a written statement, a representative for Fundamental Data, Ridgeline’s developer, said the decision “sets the stage for what comes next” and that the company remains committed to responsible operations and thoughtful communication as the project moves forward.

“Today’s decision by the West Virginia Air Quality Board affirms that Ridgeline and its operating plans are consistent with WV law,” the statement shared by Andrea Khoury of Khoury PR and Media Group reads. “Ridgeline is designed to serve West Virginia first – strengthening the state’s technology economy, creating jobs, and keeping energy production and its benefits in West Virginia.”

Representatives of the citizen groups concerned about the facility’s environmental impact – Tucker United, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, and Sierra Club –expressed their disappointment Thursday evening. The advocates have maintained that the minor pollution source designation the site has received is insufficient, considering the designation does not require regular monitoring of emissions at the site.

“Fundamental Data is proposing to build one of the largest power plants in West Virginia, but wants its air pollution to be regulated as a minor source”, Jim Kotcon, conservation chair for the West Virginia Chapter of Sierra Club wrote. “It defies common sense to claim such a large source of pollution is a ‘minor source,’ yet the WVDEP and the Air Quality Board accepted that decision. Locating such a facility next to Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods is simply not appropriate.”

However, in approving one objection in the appeal, the board conceded it had concerns regarding the ability of the site to comply with the permit’s pollution requirements. The board’s decision states that “this facility’s potential to emit pollutants greatly exceeds the limits contained in the permit,” and will require additional stack testing once the site is operational.

“We are up against a system that clearly prioritizes corporations over people and public health at nearly every turn,” Olivia Miller, interim executive director of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy wrote. “The decision stated Fundamental Data pursued the synthetic minor permit path to avoid the ‘more costly and onerous’ requirements that come with major-source permitting. The conservancy is no stranger to long battles, and we are ready to keep fighting to protect the people, land, air, and water of the highlands.”