BREAKING: Prince William supervisors deny 2,000-acre Dulles South data center plans
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously denied a comprehensive plan amendment for the nearly 2,000-acre Dulles South Innovation Center data center campus. The decision followed a five-hour public hearing with significant community opposition over environmental, traffic, and land use concerns. County staff had recommended denial as the project was outside the designated Data Center Opportunity Zone.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously to deny a comprehensive plan amendment for the proposed nearly 2,000-acre Dulles South Innovation Center data center campus, effectively halting the massive project. The campus, also known as Dulles Cloud South, would have encompassed 43 million square feet of data centers in the Gainesville District. The amendment sought to change land use designations from agriculture and forestry to industrial and mixed-use, and accompanying rezoning from agricultural to planned business district.
The denial came after a five-hour public hearing where approximately 95 community members addressed the board. Opponents, including organizations like Nature Forward D.C. and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, rallied against the project, citing environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions from 6,000 proposed diesel generators, air pollution from PM 2.5 particulates, and the protection of the Occoquan River's headwaters. U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, State Sen. Danica Roem, and Del. Josh Thomas were among the state and federal officials who spoke against the project, emphasizing the need to preserve the county's character and environmental goals.
Supporters of the amendment argued the data center campus would alleviate traffic issues along Sanders Lane and contribute to tax revenue, countering claims about the land's rural character, which they believe has evolved. However, county staff recommended denial, noting the property fell outside Prince William County’s designated Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District. Board members, including Gainesville District Supervisor George Stewart, stressed adherence to the county's 2040 Comprehensive Plan and cautioned against "piecemeal development" and the environmental impact, despite some urging to maintain relations with the data center industry.