West Virginia’s Data Center Day of Infamy
West Virginia’s Day of Infamy? April 1, 2025.
That is the day that the West Virginia Republican House of Delegates overwhelmingly moved forward the ‘data center’ bill, HB 2014, that took away all local voice on development of data centers.
And on that day, every single Republican Delegate in our Eastern Panhandle voted YES.
West Virginia is the only state out of 50 that has given a free ride to data center developers, thanks to HB 2014.
HB 2014 not only makes it easier for data center developers to build, it actually prohibits any local rules that could limit the groundwater they use to cool their massive computers, that could limit the pollution created by their diesel generators, that could limit how close these massive noise creating structures are built next to homes, farms and tourist attractions, that could require them to help pay for electrical grid enhancements that will raise our utility bills.
The only restraint on the data centers, under this West Virginia law, is from a bureaucrat appointed by Governor Patrick Morissey. Not only did Morissey sign the bill into law, but he browbeat the rubber-stamp Republican legislature to approve it with very few changes.
It’s now been revealed that HB 2014 was actually written by the development company that hopes to build one of the largest facilities for data centers in Tucker County, WV. Our governor pushed that developer-written bill to the legislature, and the Eastern Panhandle Republican delegates gladly obeyed him on that establishment vote.
Our own incumbent Republican Delegates: Chris Anders, William Clark, Joe Funkhauser, and Bill Ridenour all voted YES on that day of infamy. As a side note, every single Democrat in the House of Delegates voted NO. And all the 2026 Jefferson County Democratic House of Delegates candidates have been clear in their opposition to HB 2014. For the naysayers, there really IS a difference between the two parties.
Some of the Republicans have since flip-flopped, and now say they oppose data centers. But where was their backbone when the vote actually counted to stop the legislation from being railroaded through the legislature.
We are the only state in the U.S. that has carved the way for unlimited data center development thanks to these Republicans. Because of HB 2014, data center developers will be invading our state with more builds because it’s the easiest state in which to bypass local opposition.
And the tax revenue the centers generate? HB 2014 mandated 70% of all tax revenue goes to Charleston.
I usually cringe when I hear the calls to “Vote them all out!” But this year, it seems to be an appropriate response for November’s election in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
