DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
Our Commitment
Mitigating the data center industry’s colossal environmental footprint.
THE ISSUE
Data centers are large industrial buildings filled with computers that store, process, and distribute large amounts of digital information. Northern Virginia leads the world in data center development, housing nearly 50% of all US facilities. This massive industry continues to grow rapidly, requiring huge amounts of energy, land, and water to operate, resulting in widespread community impacts. Yet, the Commonwealth does not currently have any regulatory oversight of data center development and localities continue to approve more facilities without considering the cumulative impacts. This explosive growth of data centers threatens to derail state efforts to meet climate goals, improve air and water quality, advance land conservation, and protect national and state parks.
Land Use & Transportation Recap: 2026 Bill Outcomes
Virginia Conservation Network advocated for 37 bills this General Assembly session that support electric vehicle charging & accessibility, safer streets, smart growth, and more.
Bill of the Day: Data Center Reform
Legislation is needed to hold data centers accountable for their fair share of environmental burden while reducing harmful impacts, preventing pollution, and protecting the public.
Data Center and Gas Plant DENIED in Pittsylvania County
Pittsylvania Board of Supervisors denied rezoning 750 acres of agricultural land for a proposed data center complex and gas-fired power plant.
Bill of the Day: Responsible Data Center Development
Virginia's data center industry is growing rapidly, creating an unprecedented demand for energy, land, and water to operate. Virginia must take a comprehensive approach to reform the data center industry in order to mitigate these impacts.
ARTICLE: Will data centers harm Shenandoah National Park?
Our Partners warn of dire consequences from the data center industry for Shenandoah State Park in an InsideNOVA article.
Bill of the Day: Mitigating the Impact of Data Centers’ Explosive Growth
VCN advocates regulating data center growth to assess their impact on natural resources, energy consumption, and public health before development.
RESOURCES
Report: Air Pollution Impacts from Data Centers in Northern Virginia
VCU's Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment published a report examining the extent of current and potential future air pollution emissions from data centers in Northern Virginia.
Article: Health Implications of Data Center Rise in Virginia
George Mason University published an academic article analyzing the potential health implications associated with data centers in Virginia.
The Cost of Data Centers to Our Communities
Kairos and MediaJustice released a guide providing an overview of data center impacts on local communities and action steps that can be taken to slow or stop data center development.
Report: Data Centers Power Demand Exceeds Chip Supply
London Economics International released a report commissioned by the Southern Environmental Law Center highlighting that projected data center power demand is exceeding the capacity of chip suppliers, with serious implications for the Southeast.
MAP: Existing and Proposed Data Centers
Piedmont Environmental Council presents a simple, digestible, picture of the current and future data center footprint in Virginia built on credible sources.
MAP: Initial Transmission Proposals
Transmission line proposals to serve the explosive growth of data centers in Virginia over the past few years have begun to roll in. PEC has published this online web map to make it easier to view the proposals in one place.
