Data Centers

Data centers…Who should make this decision- you and your community or Charleston? The current legislature, led by the governor, has adopted policies to encourage the building of data centers in West Virginia. Unfortunately, in their haste, they have sacrificed energy concerns, environmental concerns, fiscal benefits, transparency, and the rights of local communities to oversee the data centers in their midst. Consider that last point. The governor and legislature are giving companies from out-of-state a freehand to enter our communities and establish a lucrative business without giving us the opportunity to say whether or not we are willing to pay the environmental cost, with no local oversight, and limited benefits from any increase in the tax base. In other words, they are compelling you to change the character of your community whether you want to or not. Is your community benefitting from this decision being made in Charleston? Are your concerns being represented in Charleston?