Nearby local governments race to attract data centers, often in spite of concerns from their constituents

Local governments across Virginia, exemplified by Culpeper County, are actively encouraging data center development, often overriding concerns from residents and environmental groups. This rush to attract the industry, driven by potential tax revenues, is leading to significant strain on the state's power grids, water resources, and historic landscapes. Environmental advocates, such as the Piedmont Environmental Council, are urging for a moratorium on new data center proposals, citing Virginia's already extensive data center footprint. They, along with land preservationists, warn of "catastrophic" impacts if data centers are not properly sited, requiring massive infrastructure overhauls for electricity and water, far exceeding the physical footprint of the buildings themselves. The push for data centers has ignited widespread opposition and legal challenges. The American Battlefield Trust and local landowners have filed lawsuits against Prince William and Orange counties for rezoning land near Civil War battlefields without proper procedures. The Virginia Court of Appeals recently struck down a rezoning for the Prince William Digital Gateway, a major proposed data center campus, a decision Prince William County will not appeal. In Orange County, a lawsuit against the Wilderness Crossing development is ongoing. In Culpeper County, community resistance led to the withdrawal of a data center proposal in Brandy Station, near the Culpeper Battlefields State Park. Legislative efforts at the state level, including stalled budget negotiations in the General Assembly, are addressing controversial tax exemptions for data centers and the need for a comprehensive statewide plan. Experts like economist João Ferreira from the University of Virginia note that localities often prioritize financial convenience over regulation, and that non-disclosure agreements between localities and developers are common, limiting public participation and transparency. This has begun to generate political backlash as voters become more informed about the long-term impacts of such developments.