Virginia leaders call for end to secret data center deals, more AI oversight
Virginia leaders are calling for an end to secret data center deals and increased transparency in the development process, particularly in southwest Virginia. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order banning state agencies from using NDAs on data center projects, as part of a broader plan focusing on transparency, environmental protections, and energy costs. Senator Mark Warner also raised concerns about AI oversight, linking it to the purpose of these data centers.
Virginia's Governor Abigail Spanberger and Senator Tim Kaine are pushing for greater transparency in data center development, especially in southwestern Virginia, where proposals are emerging through LLCs with details negotiated privately, causing constituent concern.
Governor Spanberger has taken a decisive step in Richmond by signing an executive order that prohibits state agencies from entering into or requiring Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) for data center projects. This move is part of a comprehensive framework designed to establish higher standards, which include increasing transparency, bolstering environmental protections, reducing energy costs, supporting the clean energy economy, and ensuring better deals for Virginia's workforce. However, much of this broader plan requires approval from the General Assembly, which will not reconvene until January.
Separately, Senator Mark Warner, Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has connected the data center expansion to the larger issue of AI oversight. He argues that the rapid advancement of AI, which these data centers are built to support, necessitates government involvement in safety testing, similar to other critical industries like automotive or aviation. While he emphasizes not wanting to halt innovation, Warner expresses concern about AI agents potentially compromising critical infrastructure like banks, hospitals, or water systems. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, conversely, suggested that Democrats are politicizing the issue.