Bristow residents urge feds to deny wetland permit for controversial data centers

Bristow residents are urging the Army Corps of Engineers to deny federal wetlands permits needed for a controversial data center complex proposed behind their homes. The developer, LHR Gainesville LLC, is seeking permission to fill in 4 acres of wetlands and 3/4 mile of streams to build 10 data centers. Residents and environmental advocates warn of the project's ecological disaster and impact on local water resources. The developer argues the project is necessary to meet demand, but says it cannot make changes to avoid the wetlands without compromising the project's financial viability. The developer proposes to mitigate the wetland loss by purchasing credits from other locations, but critics say this does not adequately compensate the local community. The Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comments on the permit application until October 29.