State fines data center $1M for pollution
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... As data center continue to be a hot topic around the country, governor Mikie Sherrill has taken steps to regular development and implement guidelines for data centers to follow.
.....
On September 22, [2026] she announced that her administration fined a Vineland faculty more than $1 million after an inspection during the summer. [2026]
.....
Sherrill said in a statement that Data One's data center violated the Air Pollution control Act, wrestling in the fine, and called it the largest such enforcement action in state history.
.....
"I said from the beginning that we are going to hold data centers accountable, period. That is exactly why I announced the most comprehensive data center plan in the nation and moved quickly to put those guardrails in place," she said. "Data centers will pay their fair share for energy, be countable for their water and energy sue, protect our environment, cerate good-paying union jobs, and invest in communities."
..... The state Department of environmental; Protection issued the order after a July 29 [2026] inspection of the Vineland facility. Inspectors reported finding 62 large natural-gas generators that were installed and operating without required permits.
..... Allison McLeod, the interim executive director of the League of Conservative Voters, said in a statement that "Holding predatory data centers accountable is essential to protecting New Jersey families, local businesses and our shared environment."
..... "Today's [09/22/2026] enforcement action is a vital next step in holding Big Tech accountable and putting corporate polluters on notice that they cannot make record profits at the expense of New Jersey communities," McLeod said. "Today's [09/22/2026] fines send a clear signal, and there is more to be done to systematically attack this problem. We must pass legislation that requires any new data center to bring their own new clean energy to the grid, that addresses siting and water consumption issues and that protects our communities from the real threat data centers pose to our health and our environment."