Residents rally as plans for Google data center move forward in Botetourt County
About 300 people rallied in Roanoke to oppose the pace of data center development and demand greater transparency from officials. The protest comes as Google advances a 312-acre data center campus in Botetourt County, where grading has begun, with residents raising concerns about water use, grid demand and electricity costs.
Approximately 300 people gathered at Grandin Road and Memorial Avenue in Roanoke to call for a pause on future Virginia data center projects and more transparency in development decisions. Protesters, including Tim Cywinski, Katherine Hach and Kathryn Hatam, said rapid expansion could increase energy and water use, raise electricity costs and create long-term risks for local communities.
The rally coincided with Google moving ahead with a planned data center campus on a 312-acre site in Botetourt County, where grading work has started. Organizers urged state leaders to establish stronger safeguards and disclose the potential effects of new projects, while emphasizing that their concerns focus on community protections rather than opposition to technology or economic growth.