Rocky Mount, Virginia, residents oppose proposed data center, citing noise and property value concerns
Residents in Rocky Mount, Virginia, are vehemently opposing a proposed 900-megawatt data center near their homes, citing concerns over noise pollution, decreased property values, and environmental impact. They expressed their complaints at a recent Board of Supervisors meeting regarding the project, which is connected to Crusoe AI. Virginia's Governor Abigail Spanberger has implemented a statewide energy consumption tax and stricter regulations for data centers, signaling a shift from previous administrations.
Residents of Rocky Mount, Virginia, particularly Terry Smith and her sister Sherry, are actively opposing a proposed 900-megawatt data center planned for Summit View Business Park, located just a quarter-mile from their homes. Smith, a five-year resident of Little Mountain Drive, fears the facility, which is linked to Crusoe AI, will severely diminish property values, create significant noise pollution impacting local church services and funerals, and destroy their quiet neighborhood.
Smith and other community members attended a recent Franklin County Board of Supervisors meeting to voice their grievances, arguing that officials have not adequately considered the long-term environmental and community impacts. The article notes that Virginia leads the nation in data centers. Governor Abigail Spanberger's administration has adopted a different stance from her predecessor, Glenn Youngkin, by introducing a $1.2 billion statewide energy consumption tax on data centers and enforcing stricter regulations on backup generators to safeguard communities and grid reliability.
Wannie Park, founder of PADO AI, emphasized that data center developers must proactively engage with local communities, ensure transparency, and demonstrate direct local benefits to avoid regulatory hurdles and public resistance. Park also highlighted the necessity for developers to operate near existing power grids, network connectivity, and water sources, urging them to become "better neighbors" rather than attempting to relocate to remote areas. The article also references similar legislative actions against data centers in Monterey Park, California, and Port Washington, Wisconsin.