West Virginia residents are being shut out of the decisions that will reshape their local environments, economies, and communities — all to make room for massive, corporate-run data centers powered by fossil fuel microgrids.

Under House Bill 2014, passed earlier this year, these projects are fast-tracked with minimal public input, stripped-down local control, and a rigged tax formula that funnels the profits away from the counties forced to host them. Communities like Mason, Mingo, and Tucker Counties will receive only 30% of the property tax revenue, while bearing 100% of the environmental burden — including threats to air quality, water safety, and tourism.

To make matters worse, HB 2014 overrides local zoning rules, meaning towns and counties have almost no say in how or where these massive complexes get built. The companies behind them aren’t required to disclose full environmental impacts, and their air permits often hide key data behind claims of “trade secrets.”

Residents had until December 10 at 11:59 p.m. to submit public comments on the proposed rules. But we need more than a rushed comment period. We need a transparent process, community benefit agreements, and statewide protections to prevent corporate interests from trampling local needs.

We call on the West Virginia Department of Commerce, the Division of Economic Development, and the State Legislature to:

• Require full public disclosure of environmental and health risks before permits are approved
• Restore local control over zoning and siting decisions
• Guarantee that local communities negotiate and receive legally binding community benefits
• Reject any attempt to finalize these rules without in-person public hearings.

West Virginians deserve more than redacted permits and broken promises. We deserve a say in what gets built next to our homes, parks, and schools.

Add your name to demand real protections before it's too late. Say no to secretive, polluting data centers in West Virginia.