Several members of Tucker United packed the Council Chambers at the City of Parsons for the Council’s June 17th meeting. The purpose of their visit was to approach the City Council on the matter of the group’s Resolution opposing the construction of Virginia based company Fundamental Data’s plan to construct a Power Plant and possible data centers between the towns of Davis and Thomas next to the County landfill.
Tucker United supporter Sandra Goss was the first to speak during the public comment period. Goss said that the group does not oppose progress, but felt that Tucker County was not the right location for the plant and centers. Goss also said that she has spoken to visitors from Virginia where data centers are prevalent and that those visitors have told her, “You don’t want this, you really don’t want this” due to a constant buzzing, light pollution and the raising cost of water and power in the areas.
“We really value the beauty of West Virginia and I think a lot of people here are hunters and fishermen and we don’t know what that is going to do to our water supply,” Goss said. “This constant buzzing noise 24 hours a day, are the deer going to stay here, stay in this area? Are we going to be able to continue to hunt here?”
Michael Goss was the next in public comments to speak on the issue. Michael Goss spoke on the matter of jobs. He said that he does not see high numbers of jobs going to locals from the project. The jobs that would be created, he said, he saw as being remote jobs that would likely go to those outside the area.
“I see a handful of jobs at best from this data center,” Michael Goss said. “I don’t see the money coming in that is promised. Right now the State gets all the money and they liquidate how much they want us to have. If we were to support this, its 100% or nothing. If you’re getting 10% of it, is it really worth it?”
Kelly Stadleman, a 22 year resident of Tucker County, spoke of behalf of Tucker United as an agenda item guest. A hand out was provided to the Council by the group. She provided background on the group as well as set the purpose of the meeting to inform about what the group knows and speculates regarding the project.
“Unfortunately there’s a lot we don’t know,” Stadleman said. “There’s a lot of unanswered questions and we’re searching for the answers.”
Stadleman also spoke on what she termed “misinformation” regarding the group and its membership. She said that there are rumors spreading that the group is comprised mostly of those who reside outside the County. Stadleman said that statement was false and that the vast majority of Tucker United members are current residents of the County.
“I bet 98% of Tucker United are current residents of Tucker County and live throughout the County,” Stadleman said.
Tucker United member Katie Russell was the next to speak. Russell spoke on the issues that are concerning the group about the proposed plant. She said that the project will negatively affect the health, homes, children and livelihoods of those in “Upper Tucker” on the mountain.
“Up in Upper Tucker, put yourselves in our shoes, we’re really really worried about it,” Russell said. “We’re worried about our health, we’re worried about our homes, we’re worried about our one little school and we’re worried about our livelihoods.”
Russell said the plant is expected to be one of the largest in the Mid Atlantic Region. She said that the facility would be a large source of pollution for the area. Russell referred to pictures and pages dedicated to similar facilities in Northern Virginia as she spoke.
“The company behind this project, Fundamental Data…they have stated that they would like to build one of the largest data center complexes in the world here in Tucker County,” Russell said. “And they could because the power plant will have enough output to power at least a hundred data centers of this size or like you said 10,000 acres.”
Russell also said that 38 businesses have signed a letter opposing the project. She also referenced other areas that are fighting data centers or also have existing data centers and how they had taken over the area and destroyed the existing nature and landscape.
Russell also spoke on Fundamental Data and its spokesman Casey Chapman. Russell said that Chapman has spoken to several members of Tucker United, but does not know of him speaking with any officials on the plant project. She also said that the company was being very secretive about the project and described Chapman as “dancing around the issue,” on many of the group’s concerns.
“He would not commit to number or types of jobs, he wouldn’t commit to jobs going to West Virginia residents, he would not give any revenue estimates, he wouldn’t guarantee the water usage wouldn’t affect our aquifers,” Russell said. “He’s again declined public meetings, he’s declined small group meetings, he’s declined to meet with our mayor and he’s brushed off concerns about the impacts to our tourism and health.”
The topic of Tourism in the County and its economic impact was also discussed by Russell. According to Russell, $85.3 million was spent by tourists supports over 900 local jobs or 1/3 of the County’s employment. She also spoke about how tourism has spread from mountain top communities such as Davis and Thomas into the valley to Parsons with more activities such as Pickin’ in Parsons and the Unbound campaign from the Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau that has been promoting Parsons.
Beth Boehme, a Physicians Assistant, spoke on House Bill 2014 and its impact on the project. She also spoke about the plant itself and the diesel that is proposed to be stored and used by the facility.
“House Bill 2014 preempts Counties and Municipalities from enacting, adopting, implementing or even enforcing existing ordinances, regulations or rules that limit the data center, exempts the data center from any zoning, building permitting or license requirements and it says microgrid districts and data centers are not subject to any legal jurisdiction of the County or Municipality which they’re located,” Boehme said.
Boehme said that it appears that the project is a done deal. She said that the power plant and data centers are coming.
“We’re talking about this as if it is proposal,” Boehme said. “This is not a proposal. This is a company coming in with a clear plan that is in the permitting process right now and could it be declined, sure. It probably won’t be, realistically.”
Boehme also spoke on what the group sees as health impacts from the plant. Boehme said that pollution will impact the top of the mountain and Canaan Valley due to the proximity of the plan to the communities, as well as weather patterns that would settle the pollution over Canaan Valley. She said the fine particulate matter emitted by the plant would affect those with asthma, COPD, heart disease and children long term. She also said that the area can expect increases in respiratory, cardiovascular, strokes, heart attacks and cancer long term.
“Those things are real and we can’t wish them away. They are going to happen,” Boehme said.
Boehme also said that sees those who can afford to leave, leaving and those who cannot would be forced to stay and deal with the effects of the plant.
Tucker United member Zina Raye showed the Council a photo on her phone of a fire in a similar facility. Raye said that she does not believe that there are storage tanks of the capacity proposed by the project anywhere in West Virginia. She also said that a facility of that size would be a good target for terrorist activity.
Stadleman requested that the Council either sign the Resolution opposing the plant or assist in the group’s fight against HB 2014 and the power plant complex in any way they saw fit.
“We are looking for help on how best to tackle a monster we can’t see,” Stadleman said.
City of Parsons Mayor Bruce Kolsun said that the Council could take no action on that matter that night and that any Resolution or vote would have to be placed on the agenda for action. He also informed the group that the Council was willing to listen and there would be no interaction between the Council and speakers.
No action was taken by the Council on the matter and there was no discussion by the Council members. The group was thanked for their presentation by Mayor Kolsun on behalf of the Council.
