Advocates to march in Richmond Saturday calling for pause on new data centers
Virginia advocates plan to march in Richmond in support of a statewide moratorium on new data center development. The protest focuses on concerns about pressure on the electric grid and water supplies, while Amazon defends its economic benefits and cites investments in reclaimed-water infrastructure.
Advocates from across Virginia, including Jennifer Corpus of Friends of Hanover and the Stop Virginia Data Centers coalition, plan to march in Richmond and urge Gov. Abigail Spanberger and state lawmakers to pause new data center development. Organizers say the state’s electric grid and water systems cannot keep pace with continued expansion.
Amazon Vice President of Data Center Community Development Josh Weissman defended the company’s projects, including two campuses under development in Louisa County as part of a planned $11 billion investment through 2040. Amazon cited tax revenue and infrastructure investments, including a $480 million reclaimed-water project in Spotsylvania County, while acknowledging that it has not always been transparent with communities. Advocates said open houses and outreach do not address their concerns about the effects of data centers on local infrastructure.