DataOne New Jersey Datacenter Fined for Unpermitted Generators Amid Pollution Concerns

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) levied a $1 million fine against DataOne for operating 62 gas-fired generators at its Vineland data-center without the required major-source permits. The generators, first delivered in July 2025, began running in October 2025 and were fully online by June 2026, accumulating more than 46,000 operating hours before regulators detected them during a July 29, 2026 site inspection.

The Guardian

• NOx emissions: Assistant professor Xiaomeng Jin estimates the generators released about 140 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during the unpermitted period. Jin and former EPA air-enforcement chief Bruce Buckheit project that full-capacity operation could exceed 1,500 tons of NOx per year—roughly twice the allowance for New Jersey’s largest NOx emitter.

The Guardian

• Regulatory thresholds: New Jersey classifies any source emitting over 25 tons of NOx annually as a “major source,” triggering extensive permitting requirements.

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• Community impact: Over 100 noise complaints have been logged with the Cumberland County health department since March, and the generators can emit more than four tons of NOx into nearby neighborhoods each day.

The Guardian

DataOne’s spokesperson reiterated the company’s plan to replace the generators with “low-emission, quiet fuel cells” and asserted that the necessary approvals are in place. The spokesperson also disputed NJDEP’s determination that the generators required permits, though the company now intends to apply for them.

The Guardian

A Microsoft spokesperson said the firm expects its suppliers to meet all legal and regulatory obligations and is assisting DataOne with the transition to a permanent power solution.

The Guardian

NJDEP officials declined to comment on the fine but indicated that the company has 45 days to obtain the required permits or cease operations, while allowing the generators to continue running during that period.

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• “Our best estimate is that the generators emitted about 140 tons of NOx,” — Xiaomeng Jin, an assistant professor at Rutgers department of environmental sciences

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• “How did 62 generators get installed and operated and nobody did anything until now? That blows me away,” — Tiffany Leone-Vespa, longtime vineland resident

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• “I just don’t understand how this is being allowed,” — Tiffany Leone-Vespa, longtime vineland resident

The Guardian

Vineland resident Tiffany Leone-Vespa, who lives about a mile from the site, expressed disbelief that the generators operated for so long without oversight and voiced frustration over the ongoing health risks.

The Guardian