Ohio EPA Holds Hearing on Draft Air Pollution Permit for Gas Power Plant for Meta Data Center

Public comments question lack of regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and cumulative pollutants

BOWLING GREEN, OH, UNITED STATES, April 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) held a public comment meeting last night on the draft air permit for the 350 MW "behind-the-meter" gas plant now being constructed for the Meta hyperscale data center in Wood County Ohio. Approximately 100 people were in attendance at the hearing in Bowling Green to ask questions and provide testimony on the draft permit.

Few people knew of the plans to build the Meta hyperscale data center in advance of construction, with even fewer people, including elected and appointed officials, with knowledge of the Williams Company's "Apollo" Title V gas plant until the initial application to the Ohio Power Siting Board in November 2025. The project was fast-tracked so that now construction is well under way. Both county and local officials admit that Meta did not advise them of the plans for the gas plant when they were secretly negotiating to acquire property and permits to build the data center. Public officials found out when Williams Company subsidiary called Will-Power LLC made applications to the Ohio Power Siting Board to begin construction.

Those who had been tracking the project alerted others to attend the Ohio EPA hearing held yesterday on the draft air permit. Despite the short notice, approximately 100 people attended the meeting. Many questions were asked of the OEPA representatives conducting the meeting, some requesting additional time to review the draft permit and get the word out to the local community.

As more people understood the scope and implications of the massive project to fuel Meta “behind the meter” to be permitted separately from the adjacent data center, questions arose about air pollution from the cumulative emissions from both facilities. “People are obviously questioning how a huge project like Meta and its major polluting power plant could be planned and permitted with little public knowledge,” stated Lea Harper of FreshWater Accountability Project who provided testimony at the hearing. “I did not want to have to get involved in one more thing but our assistance was requested because of our experience in air and water quality advocacy. The more we looked into Apollo, the more we realized the impacts of moneyed interests taking advantage of unwary communities and their elected officials seduced by the promise of revenue and jobs. There are things more important than that, such as public health but unfortunately, that often takes second place to short-term revenue, eve though hefty tax breaks are also involved."

Inadequate permit requirements and climate change impacts were predominant in the public comments during the hearing. Attendees sought clarification about how the Ohio EPA calculated emissions and implemented regulations. Testimonies cited concerns about public health and the climate change impacts of a gas plant estimated to emit 2.5 million tons per year of CO2 equivalent climate warming gases.

People are increasingly concerned about greenhouse gas emissions causing the climate change impacts being experienced in Ohio and throughout the US. Concerns were also expressed about the diesel emissions from Apollo in addition to the Meta diesel generators co-located yet permitted separately.

There are more permits to be issued to complete the data center project, such as the two large pipelines to feed Apollo that are yet unspecified and unknown to local residents.

It was obvious during the hearing that local residents were not in favor of the Title V gas plant. No audience applause was given the two people who spoke in favor of Apollo who had direct industry interests. All others testified to the Ohio EPA in opposition, receiving applause from the audience.

Signatures on a petition to ban more data centers in Ohio were collected by attendees before and after the hearing to achieve citizen-sponsored legislation that would ban data centers over 25 MW in Ohio. Even though many people who opposed the project provided testimony with little hope to stop it, many vowed to do all they could to hold Meta and Apollo responsible for negative environmental, public health and climate change impacts as well as the elected officials who supported them without public knowledge, involvement and consent.

Comments on the draft air permit for Apollo will be accepted by the Ohio EPA through April 15, 2026 by visiting ohioepa.commentinput.com or by writing to Clint Reed at the Ohio EPA DAPC, 347 N. Dunbridge Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43402 referencing Will-Power - Apollo.

Leatra J. Harper
FreshWater Accountability Project
+1 419-450-7042
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.