Governor Signs Executive Order On Data Center Accountability, Creates AI Task Force
The Governor of Virginia has signed an executive order establishing a new data center accountability framework across the Commonwealth. This framework introduces sweeping new rules and regulations impacting data center development, focusing on transparency, environmental protection, and energy costs. Key changes include banning nondisclosure agreements for localities and requiring local permit approval for larger data centers.
The Governor of Virginia has signed a new executive order, significantly changing the landscape for the data center industry across the Commonwealth. The order, introduced as a data center accountability framework, includes five main points: increasing transparency, strengthening environmental protections, lowering energy costs, improving clean energy, and protecting Virginia workers.
Among the key provisions, the executive order bans nondisclosure agreements for localities planning commercial data centers and eliminates "by right" approval for larger data centers, making them subject to local permit approval. It also removes large data centers from Virginia's fast-track permitting process. Furthermore, the order requires data centers to bear more of the cost for building out electric grid infrastructure to prevent consumer costs from rising and prioritizes electric grid access for data centers utilizing clean energy.
The Governor stated that the new standards are high, suggesting that companies unwilling to meet them may find Virginia is not the right place for them, while encouraging innovation and collaboration with communities for those who comply. The executive order is described as the most comprehensive data center accountability framework in America, and also includes the creation of an AI task force.