Dear friends and fellow lovers of the Highlands,
It has been a turbulent stretch for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy (WVHC)—and for environmental nonprofits across the country. I’ll do my best to break it down into three major concerns we’re facing right now.
Threats from the current administration to limit the scope of nonprofits that deal with “climate:”
A few weeks ago, members of our Board and staff were on a Zoom call initiated by West Virginia’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Public Citizen and other groups. The purpose of the call was to provide strategies to deal with attacks on nonprofits—attacks that appear to go far beyond defunding and revoking grants.
It was suggested that the 501(c)(3) status of nonprofits who deal in “climate” would be revoked. Even more troubling were rumors of plans to eliminate National Monuments and reclassify federal lands.
The ACLU and other groups shared action items—both internal and public-facing—that we immediately began putting into place. We’ll need the continued support of our members as we move forward.
A few days later, a vague statement was issued suggesting that revoking nonprofit status “wasn’t really being considered”— so let’s just say we’re staying alert.
Massive deregulation of existing environmental regulations and the designation of a huge percentage of our national forests as timber harvest:
A proposed map has been published of all the national forests that would now be eligible for logging, including the Monongahela, George Washington, and Jefferson National Forests. We are waiting for clarification from the United States Forest Service on next steps.
There is a proposal within the EPA to revamp 21 environmental rules, including those that affect air, water, and the environment in general. We hope to work with our partner organizations to deflect the impact of this.
We’ve also seen a quiet transfer of authority within the Department of the Interior from the appointed Secretary to an official in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This shift has only heightened concerns that our public lands could be auctioned off to the highest bidder for mining, drilling, or development. Once again, we’re watching closely.
Data centers in West Virginia—A growing concern:
Bill 2014, which passed the Legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature, strips counties and municipalities of the power to regulate data centers. This bill would remove local control just as applications for major projects are being filed—including at least three air control permits submitted to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP). One of them hits close to home: Tucker County.
On March 26, 2025, a small legal notice appeared in the Parsons Advocate requesting an air control permit for a company called Fundamental Data LLC from Purcellville. It was for a microgrid that would produce more power than Mt. Storm, using natural gas and the backup was 30,000,000 gallons of diesel stored on site. That’s right—30 million gallons—within 0.7 miles of homes in Davis and Thomas and 0.8 miles from the local elementary and middle school.
We started questioning the legal notice and spreading the word. It soon became apparent that the microgrid would power a data center. A member of Go North Coalition and one of our board members were instrumental in launching a response. Within two weeks, the Mayor of Davis and WVHC had organized a Town Hall. Over 300 people attended in person and another 100 joined on Zoom.
The public response was overwhelming. Some called for the facility to be moved farther from town. Others voiced opposition to its construction altogether. The media took notice—WBOY has coverage available on their website. The Mayor and WVHC encouraged residents to send comments to the WVDEP and to the developer, Casey Chapman.
The end result was the formation of a group called Tucker United, which meets weekly and is looking at every aspect of this project. This is a group of very talented folks. The other result was that the WVDEP General Council, in response to hundreds of comments received, returned the permit to the applicant with requests to unredact a lot of information. So, the permit process is stalled until they reply. This is what community action looks like!
And there is more—so much more:
Please keep an eye on our social media for updates. Share our posts, talk to your friends, and if you’re able, please contribute. This is a critical time for all of us, and we need to take steps to protect ourselves and the Highlands.
Onward,
Marilyn Shoenfeld
President
West Virginia Highlands Conservancy