West Virginia Fairgoers Push Back on Data Centers as Jefferson County Faces 100 New Houses a Day
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 20
West Virginia Fairgoers Push Back on Data Centers as Jefferson County Faces 100 New Houses a Day
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 20
Summary
Jefferson County voters at the West Virginia fair said data centers and fast growth—not prices—are now their top concern, with residents warning that development is outpacing roads, wells and schools.
Local criticism centers on water use, noise and control: Democratic candidates Jenny Thacker and Marta Beck said groundwater needs protection and argued the state has stripped municipalities of authority over projects.
Republican activists and county-level campaign volunteers reported the same message from fairgoers, with one volunteer team summing up the dominant issue in a single word: growth.
The debate reflects a broader tension in the Eastern Panhandle, where residents say they may need data centers and housing but increasingly distrust big-tech expansion when regulation and local infrastructure lag behind.