A controversial Amazon data center project in Richmond County is getting the green light from state regulators.
The North Carolina Division of Air Quality issued two air quality permits: One for the data center’s backup power generation and one for Duke Energy’s generators to power the project during construction.
“The department recognizes there is significant public concern about these projects,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. “While the Division of Air Quality’s statutory authority is limited in the review of these projects, protecting air quality remains paramount for this Department. We appreciate the community’s input and will ensure both Amazon and Duke Energy comply with all of the requirements in these permits.”
More than 200 people attended a raucous public hearing on the permits last month. Richmond County residents worried that splitting the diesel generators between two permits would allow them to release more smog into surrounding neighborhoods.
The permits will allow Duke Energy to operate 57 diesel generators for a year during construction. Amazon will operate 588 backup generators on the site, used primarily during maintenance and power outages. The nearest air quality sensor the state monitors is in Montgomery County, the next county over.
