On July 7th, we sat down with organizers from Tucker United. They are a grassroots coalition of Tucker County, West Virginia residents and allies who came together in 2025 to fight the proposed Ridgeline data center, a facility that would be powered by a massive gas- and diesel-fueled plant less than a mile from the towns of Thomas and Davis.
Their message to organizers everywhere facing bad data centers in rural communities: Don’t Panic. Get Organized.
Resources shared
-
Tucker United website — flyers, background, and ways to help
-
Five Ways HB 2014 Harms Communities, Local Governments, and Schools — West Virginia policy brief from Tucker United
-
Rural & Small Data Resource Guide — workshop resources from Amy Margolies
-
‘We Know What It’s Like To Be Exploited’: Tucker County, W.Va., Grapples With Future-Defining AI-Infrastructure Proposal — 100 Days in Appalachia
-
‘It will destroy this place’: Tucker County residents fight for future against proposed data center — West Virginia Watch
Get connected
Connect with the speakers: Amy Margolies: director@tuckerunited.com and Shaena Crossland: community@tuckerunited.com
If you’re organizing in a rural community facing a data center or power plant proposal, you are not alone. You can use HHN to connect with other organizers, get research support, and share what’s working on the ground. Fights like Tucker United’s are exactly why this network exists.
Explore the Bad Data Centers project for the full library of resources, ongoing Gateway working sessions, and the HHN data center policy tracker.