PEC urges stronger fight against data centers
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is urging Virginia communities to intensify their opposition and legal efforts against the proliferation of data centers, citing concerns about land, water, and electricity impacts. Speakers at their annual gathering highlighted increasing public apprehension and the growing number of moratoriums enacted by jurisdictions across the U.S. They advocate for aggressive negotiations with developers and leveraging environmental protection laws.
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) held its annual gathering at Longwood Farm near Warrenton, Virginia, where lawyers and conservationists urged communities to intensify their fight against the rapid expansion of data centers across the state. Speakers highlighted concerns over the environmental impact, including increased demands on land, water, and electrical power resources. Virginia is currently home to approximately 400 data centers, with another 200 approved or under development, primarily in the Piedmont region.
Keynote speaker Marion Werkheiser, a land-use and conservation attorney, stressed the importance of protecting historic and culturally significant sites. She noted that 78 jurisdictions across the U.S. have already imposed moratoriums or pauses on data center construction, a significant increase from eight in the previous year, indicating a growing national pushback. Werkheiser emphasized using legal tools such as the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act to challenge development projects.
David Aldrich, chairman of the PEC board and a Rappahannock resident, called for communities to negotiate more aggressively with data center developers to secure concessions that mitigate the impact on local resources. Rappahannock County, despite its efforts to deter large-scale data center development, faces consequences such as rising electricity rates and the need for new transmission lines and substations to support facilities in neighboring counties. PEC President Chris Miller cited polls showing a significant shift in public opinion against the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
The council advocated for "responsible development" through coalitions and partnerships, rather than outright blocking all projects, to ensure that the costs of development are not borne solely by local communities and the environment.