Prince William County Board of Supervisors rejects plans for 2,000-acre data center

The Prince William County Board of Supervisors, meeting in Woodbridge, unanimously rejected a proposal for a new data center project named Dulles South. The project, which would have spanned nearly 2,000 acres in the western part of the county, sought to rezone land currently designated for residential and agricultural use under the county's comprehensive plan.

The decision follows years of contentious debate over data center expansion in Prince William County, including the previously stalled Prince William Digital Gateway proposal, which Dulles South would have dwarfed. Chair Deshundra Jefferson noted the changing community sentiment regarding data centers and the need for applicants to be responsive. Residents from across the county protested the proposal, citing concerns about quality of life, property impacts, and strain on the power grid. Elena Schlossberg of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County emphasized the community's weariness from repeated fights against such developments.

While some residents living near the proposed site expressed openness to data centers over additional residential neighborhoods, and groups like the Taxpayers Protection Alliance highlighted the significant tax revenue data centers bring, opponents voiced concerns about being an "extension cord" for power demands further north. Congressman Suhas Subramanyam also weighed in, stating Northern Virginia is oversaturated with data centers and lacks adequate power infrastructure, leading to new power lines in residential areas. The rejection of Dulles South follows closely on the heels of the potential demise of the Prince William Digital Gateway project.