Public Comment Period and Public Participation Opportunities for Monarch Cloud Campus

9/29/2026

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is providing several opportunities for the public to learn more about and comment on permit applications associated with the proposed Monarch Cloud Campus in Mason County. The public participation opportunities involve an air quality permit application for an off-grid electric power generation facility and two West Virginia State Waters Permit applications associated with the proposed data center campus.

Air Quality Permit (Application R14-0042) The WVDEP Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has completed a preliminary evaluation of Permit Application R14-0042 from Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC to construct an off-grid electric power generation facility to support a dedicated data center campus in Mason County. The DAQ determined that the proposed facility can meet applicable state and federal air quality requirements.

Before taking final action on the application, the DAQ is providing an opportunity for public review and comment, including an in-person public workshop and public meeting and a virtual public hearing.

Public Workshop & Public Meeting Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Informal Workshop | 5:00 -6:00 p.m. Public Meeting| 6:00 p.m. Point Pleasant High School 280 Scenic Drive, Point Pleasant, WV

From 5 to 6 p.m., DAQ will host an informal public workshop. DAQ technical staff will be available to speak individually with attendees and answer questions about the proposed facility, draft permit, air quality analysis, and permitting process. The workshop is intended to provide an informal opportunity for questions and discussion before the public meeting.

The formal public meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. DAQ will provide a presentation on the proposed permitting action, followed by an opportunity for members of the public to provide oral comments for the official record.

Pre-registration is not required but is encouraged to save time upon arrival. Online registration must be completed by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026, at https://forms.gle/iB9bJdrue4DaJf6F9. Attendees wishing to provide oral comments should select “Yes” on the registration form.

Individuals without internet access may register by calling Nicole Ernest at (304) 926-0499 ext. 41256. Oral comments will be limited to five minutes per speaker.

Virtual Public Meeting Thursday, October 29, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. Google Meet/ Telephone

The virtual hearing will be conducted for the receipt of oral comments for the official record. While comments may include questions, DAQ staff will not answer questions during the virtual hearing. Relevant comments and questions concerning the permitting action will be addressed as part of the agency’s formal Response to Comments when final action is taken on the permit.

Registration is required to participate in the virtual hearing and must be completed by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026. To register, complete the online form: https://forms.gle/WHeFmzYz1nHSwz3v9 and indicate “Yes” if you intend to provide oral comments. Individuals without internet access may register by calling Nicole Ernest at (304) 926-0499 ext. 41256.

A confirmation email will be sent upon registration. A separate email containing the Google Meet link and telephone instructions will be distributed after registration closes. Oral comments will be limited to five minutes per speaker. Screen sharing, video presentations, and demonstrations by commenters will not be permitted.

Written Comments Written comments must be received by the DAQ before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026. Only written comments received within the specified timeframe or oral comments presented at the public meeting will be considered prior to final action on the permit. All comments will become part of the public record. Mail to:

Edward Andrews, P.E.
WV Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality
601 57th Street, SE, Charleston, WV 25304

Email: daqpubliccomments@wv.gov
Subject line: Monarch Comments

Permit Information
On April 17, 2026, Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC (MCC) applied to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality (DAQ), for a permit to construct an off-grid electric power generation facility to support a dedicated data center campus located at 30 Monarch Way, off Ohio River Road near the former Mason County Airport, in Mason County, West Virginia (latitude 38.914258°, longitude -82.100935°).

Potential Emissions
The proposed permit would authorize the following potential emissions:

Particulate Matter (PM): 49.25 tons per year (TPY) Particulate Matter less than 10 microns (PM10): 43.31 TPY Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5): 35.46 TPY Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx): 398.96 TPY Carbon Monoxide (CO): 984.83 TPY Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): 47.68 TPY Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): 898.89 TPY Sulfuric Acid Mist (H2SO4): 6.91 TPY Total Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs): 619.16 TPY Greenhouse Gases (CO2e): 11,050,507.13 TPY

Regulatory Evaluation and Increment Analysis
The purpose of the DAQ’s permitting process is to make a preliminary determination of whether the proposed construction meets all state and federal air quality requirements. WVDEP rules and U.S. EPA regulations require that all pollutants increased in “significant” amounts under 45CSR14 shall: (1) be controlled by Best Available Control Technology (BACT); (2) not cause or contribute to violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or applicable air quality increments; and (3) not adversely impact soils, vegetation, and visibility. A preliminary evaluation indicates the proposed source will comply with all applicable rules, including 45CSR14. MCC anticipates a facility startup date of April 2027.

Class I Increment Analysis: Screening and modeling analysis showed that potential impacts in nearby Class I areas (Otter Creek Wilderness Area and Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in West Virginia; Shenandoah National Park and James River Face Wilderness Area in Virginia) were “insignificant” as defined by 45CSR14, precluding the need for a full multi-source Class I increment analysis.

Class II Increment Analysis: The maximum modeled Class II increment consumption results are:

24-hour PM2.5: 1.32 micrograms per cubic meter (14.67% of increment) Annual PM2.5: 0.24 micrograms per cubic meter (6.00% of increment) Annual NO2: 4.95 micrograms per cubic meter (19.80% of increment)

Copies of the draft permit, application, engineering evaluation, and supporting materials may be inspected at or obtained from the DAQ office listed above, by calling (304) 926-0499 ext. 41244, or by emailing edward.s.andrews@wv.gov.

Draft Permit R14-0042.pdf

Preliminary Determination R14-0042.pdf

Draft permit materials are also available online at:
https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/Pages/NSR-Permit-Applications.aspx

West Virginia State Waters Permit Applications

Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC has requested West Virginia State Waters Permits under W. Va. Code §22-11-8(b)(3) to construct two separate projects on Airport Road in Point Pleasant, WV 25550 (38.909875, -82.100642 and 38.9163306, -82.0991972): Monarch Campus Data Center No. 2 and Monarch Campus Data Center No. 3. Each project consists of a data center with four associated power nodes to support regional data processing and power infrastructure. Data Center No. 2 will impact 1.78 acres of Palustrine Forested Wetland. Data Center No. 3 will impact 0.38 acres of Palustrine Emergent Wetland, 2.31 acres of Palustrine Forested Wetland and 0.29 acres of Palustrine Scrub-Shrub Wetland.

Because both sites will impact state-protected wetlands that fall outside direct federal jurisdiction, the WVDEP requires the developer to ensure the project will not impair the physical or biological health of state waters or cause adverse downstream impacts. To offset the planned impacts, Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC will either purchase mitigation bank credits (paying to protect and preserve a larger, pre-restored wetland nearby) or pay into the WVDEP In-Lieu Fee Program (a state-managed fund that directly finances local wetland and stream restoration projects in the state).

The West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act requires a permit for activities that may cause an alteration to the physical or biological integrity of the waters of the State.

WVDEP follows the existing West Virginia Legislative Rule §47CSR5A, which pertains to jurisdictional waters for the purpose of outlining this application process and

compensatory mitigation guidelines.

The WVDEP Division of Water and Waste Management is accepting public comments on Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC’s applications for West Virginia State Waters Permits SWP-26-0002 and SWP-26-0003:

Informal Public Workshop & Public Meeting
Monday, October 26, 2026
Informal Workshop: 5 to 6 p.m.
Public Meeting: 6 to 8 p.m.
Point Pleasant High School
280 Scenic Drive, Point Pleasant, WV

During the informal workshop, members of the public may meet one-on-one with WVDEP program staff to ask questions, review project details, and discuss the permit applications.

Beginning at 6 p.m., WVDEP staff will provide a brief overview of the projects before opening the floor for official public comments.

Written Comments Written comments on the State Waters Permit applications will be accepted through the conclusion of the public meeting at 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26, 2026. Comments may be emailed to WQScomments@wv.gov or mailed to:

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
ATTN: 401 Certification Program
Division of Water and Waste Management
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304

Copies of the permit applications and additional information are available on the WVDEP website.