Beyond Box Elder: The bet on data centers
A KSL News report highlights Loudoun County, Virginia, as a case study for data center development, focusing on resident complaints about noise from a Vantage data center. The county, despite benefiting financially, faces high community resistance and has recently ended "by right" data center development. Residents offer lessons for other communities considering data center projects.
KSL investigator Daniela Rivera traveled to Loudoun County, Virginia, known as the "data center capital of the world," to explore the impact of growing data center development on local residents and offer lessons for other communities like Utah.
Residents like Lindsay Shaw, Jessica Medeiros, and Craig Dobbs living near a Vantage data center in Sterling expressed significant concerns about a constant high-pitched hum since the facility came online in spring 2025. This specific data center is powered by natural gas turbines, a departure from typical operations, causing a 24/7 whistle that disturbs the neighborhood. Christopher Miller of the Piedmont Environmental Council noted that rapid data center expansion has pushed these industrial facilities into residential and community spaces, even surrounding historic sites like Tippetts Hill Cemetery.
John Stevenson, Senior VP of Global Public Policy for Vantage, acknowledged the noise complaints and stated that the company is working to mitigate the sound in the Sterling neighborhood by this summer, despite operating within county noise limits. Mike Turner, a member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, highlighted the economic benefits, with data centers contributing 45% of the county's fiscal year 2027 operating budget, funding roads, schools, and lower property taxes. However, he admitted that community resistance is at an all-time high, leading the board to vote last year to end "by right" development for data centers.
Residents shared that they wished they had been more involved earlier in the development process. They advise communities like Utah to proactively implement specific laws and regulations for data centers, emphasizing the importance of being armed with data and knowledge. Turner warned that a facility of this size, if mistakes are made, could become a "community-destroying entity," urging others to learn from Loudoun County's experiences.