Roanoke College alumnus running for congress calls for universal data center safeguards
Virginia's rapid data center expansion, particularly a proposed Google facility in Botetourt County, is raising alarms over massive resource consumption, especially water use during a drought. Roanoke City Council recently passed new ordinances to regulate data center construction, while a congressional candidate advocates for universal state and federal safeguards to address these issues.
Virginia, now home to more data centers than China with hundreds more planned, faces critical challenges due to the industry's significant resource demands. Tim Cywinski, communications director for the Virginia Sierra Club and a congressional candidate for Virginia's 1st Congressional District, warns that this rapid expansion is outpacing current safeguards and placing a heavy burden on local communities.
A prime example of these concerns is Google's proposed data center in Botetourt County, which is projected to consume up to 2 million gallons of water daily per building. This usage would make it Google's eighth-largest complex globally, drawing from Carvins Cove reservoir, which is currently operating at only 66% capacity amidst one of Virginia's worst droughts since 1942. Cywinski highlights the absence of state or federal policies to restrict data center water use during such shortages.
Beyond water, data centers demand extensive power and cooling infrastructure, with costs often passed to consumers through higher electric bills and new utility construction. Environmental risks also include localized water table impacts from large concrete slabs and potential contamination of waterways with 'forever chemicals' from cooling system runoff. In response to these growing concerns, the Roanoke City Council recently adopted new ordinances unanimously, which regulate data center construction by limiting zoning districts and establishing specific standards for noise, design, and landscaping.
Cywinski is advocating for federal and state governments to implement universal safeguards, asserting that the data center industry's unique scale and consequences require comprehensive protections to prevent local communities from continuing to shoulder the burden of global tech demands.