WV Department of Environmental Protection

29/10/2026

This week on Environment Matters, an abandoned mine reclamation project in Tucker County is getting some needed updates. The Kempton Refuse and Acid Mine Drainage Project won a national award from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior in 2011 for its passive treatment process. Prior to reclamation, the site was one of the worst sources of acid mine drainage (AMD) in the upper Potomac watershed. This rehab project aims to keep the Kempton site effectively treating the water for years to come. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/8nQB8En5WW4

28/10/2026

The 2026 Southern Regional Watershed Gathering, hosted by the WV Watershed Network, brought together various watershed groups and partner organizations across Southern West Virginia at the Appalachian Headwaters facility in Lewisburg.

Non-profit watershed groups were able to connect, share experiences, and hear from guest speakers on key watershed stewardship topics.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, WVCA Southern Conservation District, and ML/RD Justice & Peace Fund sponsored the event.

27/10/2026

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝗟𝗟𝗖 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The WVDEP Division of Air Quality (DAQ) 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.

An in-person public meeting was held on October 20, 2026. Before taking final action on the application, the DAQ will also be holding a virtual public hearing.

The public comment period has been extended to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2026.

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, November 13, 2026. Only written comments received within the specified timeframe or oral comments presented at the public meetings 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: [email protected]
Subject line: Monarch Comments

More information on the permit application:
dep.wv.gov/news/Pages/Public-Comment-Period-and-Public-Participation-Opportunities-for-Monarch-Cloud-Campus.aspx

26/10/2026

We're fortunate to have a poster boy on our team! Mason Belt joined our Division of Water and Waste Management as an Engineer Trainee in June. A graduate of the WVU Chemical Engineering program, Mason was the perfect employee to represent us at a recent university career fair.

23/10/2026

The WV Save Our Streams program partnered with the WVU Extension Service to train 13 educators on stream monitoring methods. Participants spent the day in the field practicing techniques to monitor the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of a local wadeable stream. Thank you to all the dedicated educators who participated and to our partners for making this collaborative day a success!

22/10/2026

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 & 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝗟𝗟𝗖 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗦𝗪𝗣-𝟮𝟲-𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗪𝗣-𝟮𝟲-𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟯

Monarch Cloud Campus, LLC has requested West Virginia State Waters Permits related to the construction of two separate data centers on Airport Road in Point Pleasant. 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.

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.

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.

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 [email protected] 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

21/10/2026

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) Ohio River Sweep End-of-Season Cleanup is set for this weekend. Check out their volunteer sign-up website to find cleanup events in West Virginia.

🔗 www.orsanco.org/end-of-season-cleanup-event/

Rally the River for the ORSANCO Ohio River Sweep End-of-Season Cleanup Save the Date – October 24, 2026 | 9 am-noon ET On Saturday, October 24, 2026, communities across the […]

20/10/2026

Our WV Project WET program partnered with Glenville State University to educate pre-service students. They had fun exploring the molecular makeup of water, its unique characteristics, and its role in creating life-sustaining Earth systems.

16/10/2026

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝗟𝗟𝗖'𝘀 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

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.

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

From 5:00p.m. to 6:00 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 🔗 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.

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:
[email protected]
Subject line: Monarch Comments

For more information on the permit application:
dep.wv.gov/news/Pages/Public-Comment-Period-and-Public-Participation-Opportunities-for-Monarch-Cloud-Campus.aspx. See less

16/10/2026

More than 300 fifth-grade students experienced hands-on outdoor education at the Cabell County Water Festival at Barbourville Park. Our Watershed Improvement Branch's Project WET program hosted the event, which featured a variety of water-related educational stations covering topics like flooding, acid rain, invasive species, water use, the water cycle, and local flora and fauna.

A huge thanks to Barboursville Parks & Recreation for being an amazing host!