Chesterfield residents press Google on planned data centers, call for greater transparency

Chesterfield County residents met face-to-face with Google representatives at a community open house to discuss plans for three data center campuses in the county, identified as Project Peanut, Project Loch, and Project Skye. Over 100 residents packed the room, seeking answers about the potential impacts of the developments on their neighborhoods, including concerns about power and water use, noise, pollution, and overall environmental effects.

While Google representatives stated their commitment to ensuring the projects would not burden the community by shouldering the costs of water and power infrastructure, many residents left the meeting dissatisfied. Resident John Hughes expressed skepticism about the company's transparency, noting that one data center would be three miles from his home with two more proposed. Attendees largely criticized the meeting's format, which involved moving table-to-table for discussions rather than a collective presentation or town hall where everyone could hear questions and answers.

Google defended its approach, stating it allowed for more detailed conversations with individuals. The company also addressed questions about its use of non-disclosure agreements, explaining it is a standard practice to facilitate early discussions before final project plans are disclosed. Residents are hoping for improved engagement moving forward, though many remain skeptical about the current level of transparency. Google announced another community session would be held at Cosby High School.