Microsoft-Linked Data Centre Causes Pollution, Sparking Widespread Resident Protests
A data centre connected to Microsoft in New Jersey, USA, has produced large amounts of air pollution over the past year. The facility, named DataOne, was recently fined US$1 million (approximately Rp17.9 billion) after authorities discovered dozens of generators operating without permits.
These findings are based on public records obtained by Floodlight. DataOne operates 62 gas-powered generators at its facility in Vineland, New Jersey.
Floodlight subsequently provided technical data regarding these generators to Xiaomeng Jin, a professor at Rutgers University, and Bruce Buckheit, a former head of the air enforcement division at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Jin estimates that the DataOne generators have produced approximately 140 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx). According to EPA data, this volume would place DataOne among the five largest sources of NOx emissions in New Jersey by 2025.
“Our estimate is that the generators emitted about 140 tons of NOx,” said Jin, as quoted by The Guardian on Saturday (3/10/2026).
NOx is a group of pollutants that can form smog and is linked to asthma, heart attacks, and premature death. Jin described NOx as an air pollutant in the US that impacts a large portion of the population.
The impact is also being felt by local residents. Tiffany Leone-Vulnerable, a Vineland resident living approximately 1.6 kilometres from the data centre, stated that the sound of the generators resembles an aircraft behind her home.
“What health problems might I face in the future? Because I have been exposed to all of that. My children have also been exposed,” she said.
The potential pollution from DataOne could be even greater. Jin and Buckheit estimate that the 62 generators could produce more than 1,500 tons of NOx per year if operating at full capacity.
Buckheit stated that the operation of the generators “produces very high levels of air pollution” and that the potential emissions “far exceed the regulatory thresholds for new major sources.”
In New Jersey, facilities capable of producing more than 25 tons of NOx per year are categorised as major emission sources. Such facilities are required to undergo environmental assessments, implement best pollution control technologies, and undergo public consultation processes before operating.
However, DataOne failed to follow this process.
According to a company letter to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the generators began arriving in July 2025. Sixteen generators began operating in October 2025, followed by another 16 in February 2026. By June 2026, all 62 generators were operational.
Upon inspection, it was found that all generators had cumulatively operated for more than 46,000 hours.
Residents have also reported noise disturbances for months. More than 100 noise complaints have been submitted to the Cumberland County Health Department since March, with many reports identifying the generators as the source of the noise.
The NJDEP subsequently imposed a US$1 million fine on DataOne and required the company to obtain the necessary permits or cease generator operations. However, regulators granted the company 45 days to meet these obligations, during which time the generators were still permitted to operate.
DataOne has contested the NJDEP’s decision and previously argued that the generators did not require permits. The company now plans to apply for the necessary licences.
The company also stated it is transitioning to low-emission, low-noise fuel cells as a permanent power source for the facility.
Microsoft, which is linked to DataOne, stated that it expects all suppliers and partners to comply with applicable legal and regulatory provisions. Microsoft also stated it is working with DataOne to support the facility’s transition towards long-term power solutions.