Fairfax County Planning Commission Postpones Substation Hearing for Edsall Data Center
The Fairfax County Planning Commission has postponed a hearing on a substation for the Edsall Data Center until December 2nd, a move criticized by opponents as a stall tactic. This substation is crucial for the data center being developed by Starwood Capital Group. Community members and elected officials continue to vocalize their strong opposition to the project.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission has announced the postponement of a critical hearing for the proposed substation intended to serve the Edsall Data Center, pushing the date from September 24 to December 2. The delay has drawn sharp criticism from local advocacy groups, including the Save Bren Mar Coalition, whose founder, Tyler Ray, labeled it a "stall tactic" by Dominion, the utility company requesting the deferral.
Dominion reportedly sought the delay to submit "additional materials" for its 2232 application for the substation. Ray, however, asserts that the company is on the defensive, attempting to downplay the project's data center purpose and quiet public outcry. Opponents argue that the company has had ample time to prepare, as the application was filed over a year ago. The data center itself, developed by Starwood Capital Group on the Plaza 500 site, is a by-right project that has already received site plan approval from county planning staff, with a building permit application submitted in July.
The only remaining avenue for opponents is to convince the Planning Commission to deny Dominion’s 2232 application for the substation. Concerns raised include the substation's proximity (67 feet) to homes in the Bren Pointe community, potential noise and air pollution, and environmental degradation of a Resource Protection Area. Various elected officials, including Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez, Rep. Don Beyer, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins, and members of the Virginia General Assembly, have also urged the Planning Commission to reject the substation. A recent mailer from Dominion regarding pre-construction work on a related transmission line has further fueled accusations of intimidation by opponents.