Housing & Development · Forest City, NC
Forest City Neighbors Report Quieter Meta Data Center After 13-Year Noise Dispute
Neighbors near Meta's Forest City, N.C. data center say diesel-generator noise has improved significantly since the facility opened in 2012, crediting sound-absorbing panels and trees installed after a 2013 News 13 report prompted company engagement. A 2024 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality inspection found the site complied with air-quality rules, while a February report noted emergency generators consumed 48,603 gallons of diesel in 2025. Meta reports more than 275 operational jobs and over $6.4 million in funding for area schools and nonprofits, but News 13 has not obtained a current generator-testing schedule or written agreement showing what hours apply now. The article also notes the Asheville City Council approved a one-year pause on new data center development in Western North Carolina.