DataOne AI Data Center Operates Unpermitted Generators, Sparking Health, Noise, and Legal Concerns

Thermal-drone footage captured last week shows the partially built DataOne facility in Vineland, New Jersey, running dozens of gas-powered generators without any air-emission permits. Floodlight counted 45 generators operating simultaneously out of a total of 62 on site. The generators sit roughly one mile from two elementary schools and emit pollutants linked to asthma, heart attacks, and premature death. A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) spokesperson confirmed that no permits have been issued and that the agency has not yet made a “full compliance determination” after noticing the equipment during a site inspection on July 29.

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DataOne is slated to become the largest AI data center on the East Coast, covering 2.5 million sq ft and providing computing power for Microsoft under a $17 billion agreement with Dutch AI infrastructure firm Nebius. The project follows a “bring-your-own-power” model, now pursued by nearly 60 U.S. facilities, according to energy-analytics firm Cleanview. The model relies on on-site gas-fuel power to avoid external utilities and control energy costs for high-intensity AI workloads.

The Guardian

• Generators operating: 45 at once (out of 62 total).

The Guardian

• Proximity to schools: ~1 mile from two schools.

The Guardian

• Noise timeline: Residents report constant humming since generators were turned on in October; complaints intensified in November.

Common Dreams

• Planned replacement: Bloom fuel cells capable of 300 MW, still gas-fuelled but with lower particulate emissions; projected annual CO2 output > 2 billion lb.

The Guardian

• Local zoning: Vineland Planning Board approved the second construction phase earlier this month despite resident opposition.

Common Dreams

Bruce Buckheit, a former EPA air-enforcement chief, told Floodlight that operating the generators “violates federal law” and urged immediate shutdown and fines for “illegal emissions.”

The Guardian

The Vineland Planning Board voted to approve the second phase, citing the project’s economic benefits.

Common Dreams

Residents describe a pervasive hum that disrupts sleep and outdoor activities. Andrew Groetsch said the noise “never goes away,” while Tallis West noted that “outside is not even enjoyable to sit outside because of the noise sometimes.”

Common Dreams

• Generator count: Floodlight observed 45 generators operating simultaneously, while later drone footage showed “at least 45” of 62 units active and separate footage captured 25 generators in late June. The exact number in operation at any given time remains unclear.

Common Dreams

• Permit status: NJDEP confirms no permits have been issued, yet public records show DataOne withdrew an air-permit application in May and has not submitted a new one, leaving the compliance timeline uncertain.

The Guardian

• “Outside is not even enjoyable to sit outside because of the noise sometimes,” — Tallis West

Common Dreams

• “It’s just constant. It never goes away,” — Andrew Groetsch

The Guardian

• “If you don’t follow one rule, what makes us have any reason to believe that you would then follow others?” — Stevi Groetsch

The Guardian

• “In other communities that have been unfortunate to have data centers built in their neighborhoods, it has poisoned groundwater, decimated local bird populations, and caused insomnia in residents as well,” — Noelle Lundy

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