Del. Josh Cole is ‘almost behind’ a statewide data center moratorium
Delegate Josh Cole from Virginia's 65th House District indicated he is "almost behind" a statewide data center moratorium, citing concerns about environmental strain, electricity demand, and local government helplessness. His stance comes after several community forums on data centers in the Fredericksburg area, and ahead of the next legislative session where he plans to introduce or support related legislation.
Delegate Josh Cole, representing Virginia's 65th House District, has expressed strong reservations about data centers, stating he is "almost behind a statewide moratorium" on their development. Speaking at a forum in Fredericksburg, Cole detailed a shift in his position, acknowledging that local governments are struggling to manage data center impacts and need state intervention. His district includes Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, where numerous data center projects are underway or proposed.
The forum, organized by local opposition groups including the Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition and the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, highlighted concerns about environmental threats and the strain on the regional power grid. Speakers noted Virginia's high number of operational and proposed data centers, with 18 projects in Stafford and Spotsylvania alone. Cole also voiced worries about groundwater depletion, referencing a recent Department of Environmental Quality report, and the rising electricity bills, which he attributes to Dominion Energy's efforts to accommodate data center energy demands.
Further compounding power concerns, Cole mentioned the pending $67 billion merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy, which is under review by the State Corporation Commission. Governor Abigail Spanberger has announced her formal intervention, expressing skepticism about the sale of Virginia's primary utility to an out-of-state company. Delegate Cole also brought up the issue of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) used by the data center industry, which often obscure critical information from the public and local governments, and is considering legislation to address this in the upcoming 2027 General Assembly session.
Despite his strong opposition, Cole admitted a pause due to the significant role labor unions play in data center construction, an industry he supports. However, he maintained that data centers should be responsible for their own energy and fair share of costs, emphasizing the need for a "pause" to prevent failure to ratepayers.