By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Three members of the U.S. Senate have sent a letter March 13th to Fundamental Data’s Representative Casey Chapman, voicing their concerns over the proposed Ridgeline Power Plant Project slated for construction near the Landfill between Davis and Thomas. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works; Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Chris Van Hollen, all signed the four page letter.
In the letter, sent to the Fundamental Data Purcellville, VA office, the Senators outlined the need for the energy sectors to obtain overall net-zero emissions by 2035 due to “climate upheaval and huge economic impacts” that will result if the goal is not met to limit global temperature increase by “no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.” The facts were cited from a United Nations article on net-zero commitments.
“I would ask that you explain how your actions are consistent with this goal, and if they are not, why you don’t think that matters,” the letter reads.
The letter offered green alternatives of solar and wind energy as “the cheapest and most abundant sources of energy available.” The Senators requested that Chapman describe the measures of capture or offset emissions from gas-fired generation or investing instead of renewable energy and storage.
“Other large hyperscale projects have invested in renewable options like these as well as in zero-carbon nuclear energy,” the letter reads.
In total, the letter outlined a request of seven specific questions on the Ridgeline Project and Chapman’s “decision making process” to be answered with documentation. The following questions were requested to be answered by March 27th by the Senators.
“1. Why did you decide to rely on gas to power your hyperscale data center, rather than carbon-free energy sources such as solar, wind, storage, geothermal, and nuclear power? Do you dispute the health and climate harms described above that will result from your decision?
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Are you planning to implement 90 percent carbon capture at the Ridgeline Facility, or otherwise reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 88.4% by 2032 as required under existing law? Are you planning to implement any carbon capture? If yes, what percent of total carbon emissions do you plan to capture?
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Do you plan to trace your natural gas suppliers’ actual emissions intensity? Will you use only certified gas suppliers who responsibly reduce their methane leaks, vents, and releases?
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Do you plan to use combined-cycle gas fired turbines, or do you plan to use mobile gas-fired generators, aeroderivative turbines, or reciprocating turbines? How did you make your decision?
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Do you have plans in place to offset your greenhouse gas emissions, including the embedded emissions associated with the fuel you purchase? If yes, please describe in detail. If not, why not?
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Did you conduct or commission any analysis, data, or calculations to assess whether the new gas plants realized through your plans align with the IPCC’s directive for net-zero world by 2050? If yes, please produce all relevant documents. If not, why not?
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Reporting suggests that hyperscale data center operators often experience significant rates of return on investment. Please disclose your expected rate of return on this project. Would your project fail financially if you took any of the above responsible steps to reduce pollution and emissions?”
The document was sourced from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, which is chaired by West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
