Key facts
- New Jersey fined DataOne $1.1 million for operating unpermitted gas generators.
- The fine is the largest ever taken against a data center in New Jersey.
- Thermal drone footage showed 45 of 62 gas generators operating at DataOne's Vineland data center.
- The generators were running at 1,982-kw capacities, far exceeding the state limit for unpermitted units.
- DataOne must apply for permits within 45 days or cease operations.
- DataOne plans to transition to low-emission fuel cells.
New Jersey has fined data center operator DataOne $1.1 million for illegally operating 62 gas generators at its Vineland facility. The state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued the penalty after thermal drone footage, shared by The Guardian and Floodlight News, revealed that 45 of the generators were running despite lacking required permits. These generators were operating at capacities of 1,982-kw, significantly exceeding the state's limit for unpermitted units.
DEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak described the action as the largest ever taken against a data center in New Jersey, vowing that such facilities would not operate with impunity. However, local environmental advocates like Nichole Gardner of Sustain SJ believe the fine and the 45-day period granted for DataOne to apply for permits are insufficient, arguing that operations should be halted during this period.
In response, a DataOne spokesperson stated the company would apply for the necessary permits and disagreed with the fine. The company also indicated a plan to phase out the polluting generators and transition to lower-emission fuel cells. Residents, however, expressed skepticism, with some like Tiffany Leone-Vespa questioning the air quality and Steve Brown calling the fine "pocket change" for a company of DataOne's financial standing.
Concerns about DataOne's operations were initially raised by a farmer who spotted the generators via satellite imagery. State inspectors later found the "tractor-trailer-size" generators to be "impossible to miss" during a July visit, noting they were not present during a December 2025 inspection. DataOne had previously withdrawn a permit application for about 30 generators in May after the DEP found deficiencies, intending to pivot to fuel cells. However, maintenance logs indicated the use of the more problematic generators since October.