Yahoo has applied for a permit to add 10 more diesel generators to its current 13 diesel generators.

Public invited to comment on draft permit for Yahoo! Data Center expansion

SPOKANE — The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) invites the public to comment on a proposed “notice of construction” approval order (permit) for the expansion of the Yahoo! Data Center in Quincy.

The approval order is a formal document that allows the company to install 10 new backup generators for use during power failures to support the facility’s data servers. The Yahoo! Data Center was originally built in 2007 after Ecology approved a permit for 13 backup generators. The generators are powered by diesel engines.

Until someone comes up with power backup with non-toxic pollutants, data centers need air permits from state ecology departments.

Because diesel engine exhaust carries toxic air pollutants, Ecology required to thoroughly evaluate the potential health risks posed by the expansion project. This evaluation is called a “health impact assessment.” Ecology toxicologists reviewed the health impact assessment to determine the level of public health risk.