between Davis and Thomas. Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau has maintained that the Commission continues to do everything it can to stop the measure from passage.
By: Lydia Crawley The Parsons Advocate
Local attorney Brent Easton addressed the Tucker County Commission on April 23rd with concerns over the proposed power plant and data centers between Davis and Thomas, as well as House Bill 2014 which is closely tied to the issue. Easton requested the Commissioners contact the Governor’s Office in a bid to influence the Governor to veto the yet unsigned HB 2014. Governor Morrisey had until April 30th to sign the bill into law. However, inaction by the Governor on the bill would still result in HB 2014 becoming law.
“There is still time that he can be influenced to some extent,” Easton said. “He should at least know what position this County (has).”
A petition has been circulated throughout the Tucker County area that has garnered over 1700 signatures. The petition is slated to reach the Governor’s Office April 23rd or 24th, according to Easton.
The most controversial provision in HB 2014 is the taking of any local control when it comes to data centers and the power plants that accompany them. The bill does not allow local counties or municipalities any regulation over the centers or power plants and takes tax revenue from the sites, as well. Only 30% of tax revenue from the sites is allocated back to the County, with the remaining 70% allocated to the State.
“If it was something good, if this was something popular that we were going to like, they wouldn’t have to put that in the bill, a rule that said, you can’t say anything about it once its done,” Easton said. “That’s why that’s in there. They know its going to suck.”
Easton said that the bill was an invitation by the State to data centers and power plants to come to the area.
“They are saying to these data center and power plant people, come on in, do what you want. This is at the State level they are telling them this. We’re going to chop our local people off at the knees and they are not going to have anything to say about it. Horrible,” Easton said.
Easton said HB 2014 was an insult to local entities.
“That’s an insult. The whole thing’s an insult because it says we don’t need your input. We’re going to tell you how to run your backyard. You’re not going to have any say. You’re not going to be able to make any rules and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Easton said.
Easton outlined a recent incident in Pennsylvania County, Virginia where a power plant and data center complex was built. According to Easton when initially proposed, the data center was slated to be 1200 megawatts and feed a couple of data centers. Once approval happened, amendments were applied for and made that ballooned the facility to 3500 megawatts and 12 data centers.
“What if they do what they did in Virginia and they come in and say, your 1200 megawatt facility is now a 3500 and four data centers are now 12 and we see data centers going all the way to Mettiki and past Mettiki,” Easton said.
Easton said that DC lobbyists and politicians are behind the push for the power plant and data centers. Easton also said Tucker County can not trust the Governor and other politicians because they are not from Tucker County and do not have the best interest of the area in mind. The bottom line of the project, Easton said is money.
“He wants to make money with this, there are other politicians that want to make money with this,” Easton said. “That’s why they are precluding you up front from being able to do anything about it.”
Easton asked the Commission to write a letter to the Governor’s Office requesting a veto of the bill while there was still time prior to the Governor’s signature of the measure. Easton said he wanted County Commissions and local governments to show that they they were not being driven by Charleston.
Rosenau said that the County Commission has been in contact with the Governor’s Office and various representatives across Charleston on the matter since the story broke. Rosenau also said that he and the Commission are not happy about HB 2014 and the stripping of local authority it contains.
“I can tell you this, we have,” Rosenau said. “We have talked to the Governor’s Office and to representatives that represent our County. We’re not happy with not having any say in what is going on in our County and all of our area. Our State organization feels the same way throughout the State because we have no say. People elected us to represent them, good and bad.”
Rosenau also said that there is a misconception in the community that the County Commission has not done anything about HB 2014 or the power plant and data centers. According to Rosenau, the Commission has been working diligently behind the scenes. Just the day prior, he said, the Commission toured the proposed site of the power plant and data center. It had been the first time Rosenau had seen the site, he said.
“A lot of people think that the Commission just sat back and did nothing and that’s not the case at all,” Rosenau said. “I don’t tell everything that is going on.”
Easton asked Rosenau what response he has received from Charleston regarding their numerous concerns. Rosenau said that they listened respectfully, but not much else.
“They respectfully listened,” Rosenau said. “I can say that.”
