Developer of the Ridgeline Facility in Tucker County finally laid some cards on the table and confirmed what I feared. Ridgeline will be a game changer, and the mountaintop — with its beauty, history and recreation — will never be the same again.

After months of secrecy, Fundamental Data unveiled details in a March 27 response to U.S. Senators from Rhode Island, New Mexico and Maryland, including ranking committee members of Environment/Public Works and Energy/Natural Resources.

It seems Ridgeline was never intended as a “modest project.” In addition to the natural gas/diesel combined cycle power plant and a data center, nearly 1.3 gigawatts of solar generation is planned — making it one of the country’s largest solar projects. (Estimates put that type of solar field at 6,500+ acres.) The site will also be structured to grow, possibly including nuclear generation.

Fundamental Data strategically selected the Thomas/Davis site because there are competitive advantages. On top of its plentiful gas, electric transmission and water, they like the vulnerable area because it lacks local zoning, permitting and regulation that “add cost and time” elsewhere.

The response downplayed the impact of the plant’s emissions on health and boasted about how it will conform to emission limits in the air quality permit. (The permit is under appeal because many believe it isn’t sufficient for a project of Ridgeline’s magnitude.)

As a West Virginia native, it makes me sad to see opposition to this project fall on the state’s deaf ears. Officials are set on allowing outside developers to run roughshod over residents and exploit natural resources when it comes to data centers.

Fundamental Data’s letter strengthens my opinion that this project does not belong within two miles of Thomas/Davis and its residents. Progress is one thing. Ridgeline will be a territorial takeover.