Data Centers: A Rare Point of Agreement

At last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting, we learned that a developer is proposing a data center for a large tract of land it purchased in the county. One supervisor indicated he would like an Economic Development Authority representative to explore alternative uses for the property. In a time when many conservatives and progressives disagree about almost everything, this may be one of the few issues where we see eye to eye.

Data centers are not quiet, invisible neighbors. They are warehouse-scale buildings surrounded by substations, transmission lines, backup generators, cooling systems, security fencing, and 24-hour lighting. They require enormous amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling. In a county that has already experienced drought restrictions and ongoing grid concerns, it’s fair to question whether we are equipped to support that scale of development without long-term environmental and infrastructure consequences.

Equally important is that once the door opens, it rarely closes. Loudoun County did not become the data center capital of the world overnight. What began as limited approvals gradually reshaped the landscape.

As I understand it, data centers are not currently included in Warren County’s Comprehensive Plan, which seeks to guide growth thoughtfully. I hope both sides can come together to keep data centers from gaining a foothold here and to protect the natural landscape that so many of us cherish.

Cara Aldridge Young
Shenandoah District
Warren County, VA

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