QTS Appeals Digital Gateway Data Center Project Ruling to Virginia Supreme Court

QTS, a key developer in the controversial PW Digital Gateway data center project, has filed an appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court. The appeal was submitted on Thursday, following two previous court rulings that nullified the project's rezoning due to issues with public notice. These rulings included an August decision from Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving and a unanimous March 31 decision from a three-judge Virginia Court of Appeals panel. This action by QTS, through its parent company GW Acquisition Co., follows Compass Datacenters' decision earlier in the week to withdraw from further appeals. QTS argues that the Court of Appeals' decision, which rejected rezonings that could have brought billions in investment and thousands of jobs to Virginia, was based on "highly technical notice provisions that harmed no one." However, opposition groups, including the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and the American Battlefield Trust, remain resolute. Mac Haddow, president of the Oak Valley HOA, expressed that the association is committed to protecting the community from identified harms such as noise, pollution, and property value reduction. David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust, stated that QTS is "fighting a losing battle" and vowed to meet the appeal with a strong legal defense. The Coalition to Protect Prince William County also issued a strong statement, accusing QTS of dragging the industry's image "into the toilet" and reaffirming their belief in the rule of law. The lawsuits challenging the project primarily involved the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and the American Battlefield Trust, with the latter concerned about the project's proximity to Manassas National Battlefield Park.