Dinwiddie residents question data center developer at public meeting

Residents of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, voiced strong opposition to Tract's proposed Haven Oak Technology Park, a large-scale data center campus planned for nearly 1,000 acres at the intersection of White Oak and Claiborne roads. At a public meeting held at Virginia State University, which Tract reconfigured to allow a direct question-and-answer session due to community outrage, dozens of attendees expressed concerns about the project's impact.

Key issues raised by residents included potential strain on local water resources, the increased demand for electricity, and the general sound pollution from data center operations. Michelle Scheid, an opponent of the development, highlighted the statewide debate over data center regulations and questioned the justification for converting a thousand acres of rural land. George Lewis also conveyed the sentiment that "nobody in Dinwiddie wants this."

Concerns also extended to the historical significance of the proposed site, as it would run through a core Civil War battlefield. In response to feedback, Tract stated it is altering project plans, including avoiding construction on the west bay over the battlefield and shifting from evaporative cooling to a closed-loop system, which Joshua Botts, representing Tract, claimed would reduce estimated water usage by 96-97%. Regarding electricity, Tract staff assured that new capacity costs would be borne by the data center, not rate payers.

The Haven Oak Technology Park proposal remains under review by Dinwiddie County's planning department. All related documents have been made available online by the county.