New Jersey fines DataOne $1.07 million over 62 gas generators

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection assessed a $1.07 million civil penalty against DataOne’s data center in Vineland, alleging that the company installed and operated 62 natural-gas generators without required air permits.

DataOne has 45 days to obtain the permits or stop operating the generators, an NJDEP spokesperson said. Regulators are allowing the generators to continue running during that period. The agency’s public announcement says its administrative order directs DataOne to immediately apply for and obtain the required approvals or cease operations, but it does not state the 45-day duration.

NJDEP said inspectors observed the generators during a July 29 visit; the equipment was not present during the agency’s previous inspection in December 2025. Rated at 1,982 kilowatts each, the 62 stationary reciprocating generators have about 122.9 megawatts of combined nameplate capacity.

Under New Jersey’s Air Pollution Control Act, generators rated at 37 kilowatts or more require a preconstruction permit and a valid operating certificate, according to NJDEP. The agency said natural-gas generators emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and other combustion-related pollutants.

NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak described the penalty as by far the state’s largest enforcement action against a data center. The governor’s office separately called it the largest such action in New Jersey history.

DataOne said it disagreed with the state’s determination regarding the temporary generators. It said it would apply for the air permits, was communicating with NJDEP and was transitioning toward fuel cells as the site’s permanent power source.