When the Backup Runs: Virginia Outage Exposes Loophole in Proposed Page Data Center Rules
Page, Arizona, is considering a data center overlay district whose proposed rules would impose noise and vibration limits during normal operations but suspend those limits during power outages. The proposal follows a Vantage Data Centers outage in Sterling, Virginia, where backup diesel generators operated for nearly 24 hours and caused nearby residents to report intense fumes and noise.
The City of Page is reviewing zoning amendment TXT-2026-02, which would create a Data Center Overlay District for hyperscale facilities. The draft ordinance includes daytime and nighttime noise limits, generator setbacks, landscaping buffers and advance notice requirements for routine testing, but exempts emergency generator operation from enforceable noise and vibration caps during utility outages.
The proposal draws attention to the July outage at Vantage Data Centers' VA2 campus in Sterling, Virginia, when backup diesel generators ran for nearly 24 hours. Residents reported heavy exhaust and noise, while the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said it lacked authority under standard air permits to stop or limit the generators during a power emergency.
The Page Planning and Zoning Commission has advanced its findings to the Page City Council, which is scheduled to hold a final public hearing on Oct. 28. The article argues that the city could lack effective tools to control emergency diesel emissions and noise if the ordinance is adopted without stronger requirements for cleaner generators, battery storage or alternative fuels.