New Jersey has fined DataOne $1.1 million for installing and operating unpermitted gas generators at its planned Vineland data centre. The enforcement followed an investigation using thermal drone footage, and matters because the generators emit pollutants linked to asthma, heart attacks and premature deaths, while residents fear the facility’s expansion threatens nearby homes, farmland and schools.

DataOne was operating 45 of 62 generators, each with a capacity of 1,982 kilowatts—more than 50 times the state’s 37-kilowatt permitting threshold. The company has 45 days to apply for permits but can continue running the generators meanwhile; it disputes the fine and says it plans to switch to lower-emission fuel cells. Local residents and environmental groups argue the penalty is too small, question the delay in enforcement and want operations suspended until permits are granted.