11-year-old stands before Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, speaks out on data centers
An 11-year-old boy, Crew McElderry, addressed the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, speaking out against data center development in the county. He raised concerns about their size, water usage, and noise pollution, receiving a standing ovation for his advocacy.
Crew McElderry, an 11-year-old, captivated the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors with his impassioned plea against data center development. He explicitly stated, "I DID NOT AI this speech. These are all These are my words, my thoughts, and my research," underscoring his personal conviction.
His mother, Leah, shared that Crew, always attuned to fairness, became deeply interested after hearing adult conversations about community changes. Following a June Board of Supervisors meeting, he diligently researched data centers and requested to speak at the next one.
During his address, Crew highlighted the immense scale of proposed projects, noting that "Project Sky would span more than 880 acres," an area larger than Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion combined. He also drew attention to environmental impacts, citing a Google facility in "Barotat County" (likely a mispronunciation of a nearby county like Broad Run or Barboursville, which has Google facilities) that is permitted to use 2 million gallons of water daily, which he argued was contrary to water conservation. Furthermore, he emphasized the "undeniable and unforgivable" noise generated by these facilities. His speech earned him a standing ovation, and his family noted that this experience has further ignited his interest in local government.