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Putnam County Residents Confront Google Over 1,700-Acre Data Center Plan — "When West Virginia Dies, the Autopsy Results Will Be the Data Centers"
WV
Data Centers / Community Opposition
April 14, 2026
Source: WV MetroNews
Putnam County residents used their first public opportunity to voice concerns about a Google data center planned for 1,700 acres near Buffalo, West Virginia. Discussion ran for over an hour at the county commission meeting. Residents raised concerns about noise, water quality — citing existing C8 contamination from the area's industrial history — light pollution, the possibility of multiple data centers on the property, and how tax revenue would be distributed under WV House Bill 2014, which gives the county commission 30% of revenue.
Commission President Andy Skidmore estimated four data centers could be built initially, with more possible, and acknowledged the commission has limited control over the project. The site's 765-kilovolt Appalachian Power transmission line — which runs through the property — was a major factor in Google's selection.
One resident's comment captured the mood: “When West Virginia dies, the autopsy results will be the data centers."
Community Takeaway
This exchange reveals a pattern repeating across the country: state officials announce data center deals with fanfare, but local residents — who bear the direct impacts of noise, water use, traffic, and land use change — often learn details only after the fact. West Virginia's regulatory framework gives counties limited authority over such projects. Communities in other states should verify what review powers their local government actually holds before development begins — not after a developer has already selected the site. The C8 contamination concern is specific to this area's chemical industry history but illustrates a broader point: data center water demands deserve scrutiny in any community with pre-existing water quality challenges.
Source: WV MetroNews, April 14, 2026.