Editorial urges Virginia lawmakers to strengthen air-quality rules for data centers
The editorial argues that Virginia lawmakers should strengthen air-quality oversight of data centers after diesel backup generators at Vantage Data Centers’ Sterling campus operated during a power failure. It says the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality lacks sufficient authority over many data center air permits and supports Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s proposed review of natural-gas power and diesel backup systems.
An editorial in the Daily Press calls for Virginia lawmakers to revise air-quality rules governing data centers. It focuses on a summer power failure at Vantage Data Centers’ 18-acre campus in Sterling, where backup diesel generators operated and nearby resident Greg Pirio reported loud noise and respiratory discomfort.
The editorial says the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality could not intervene because most data center air permits are classified as minor, avoiding public notice and limiting regulatory authority. It cites air-quality monitoring in Loudoun County that found hourly pollution spikes, as well as a Piedmont Environmental Council report estimating potential regional health costs from the Sterling facility. Gov. Abigail Spanberger has proposed reviewing onsite natural-gas power and diesel backup generators, while the editorial urges the General Assembly to adopt stronger standards as data center construction expands across Virginia.