VA-11 Election: Walkinshaw, Purves, Blais on Data Centers
Candidates in Virginia's 11th Congressional District are divided over how to address Northern Virginia's rapid data-center growth. Democrat James R. Walkinshaw supports federal siting and environmental standards and protecting residential ratepayers from grid costs, while Green Party candidate Dianne L. Blais has called for a moratorium pending further studies; Republican Arthur G. Purves declined to answer the data-center question.
The Virginia 11th Congressional District race has highlighted the effects of Northern Virginia's data-center expansion on electricity costs, the power grid, water use and local communities. Democratic incumbent James R. Walkinshaw said the federal government should help establish siting and environmental standards, including rules for generators and water use, while ensuring that new grid costs are not shifted to residential customers. Republican Arthur G. Purves did not answer the candidates' data-center question.
Green Party candidate Dianne L. Blais called for a moratorium on new data-center development until benefit-and-cost studies examining electricity, water and environmental impacts are completed and made public. The debate comes as the Washington metropolitan region faces substantial projected growth in data-center capacity and water demand, with Fairfax County serving as the anchor of the congressional district.