“Opposition Mounts Against Rural Crescent Data Center Plan,” published Nov. 18, is not a surprise given the environmental, water resource and quality of life impacts of this proposal.
Something else that should be taken into consideration when determining the real costs of this project is the recent passage of the national infrastructure law. Communities across the U.S. will be starting massive infrastructure projects, all around the same time frame, and all competing for already scarce supplies of skilled workers and materials.
Because the county’s rural crescent has virtually no water infrastructure, and data centers have massive water needs, costs in an inflationary era where skilled workers and materials are scarce could easily negate some or all of the hoped-for data center tax profits. Plus, a tech-flex/industrial zone will likely reduce real estate tax revenue in surrounding areas as they may become fewer desirable areas in which to live.
As I researched this topic, I came across information that [tax revenue derived from] data centers [are] high the first couple of years but then may fizzle due to computer asset depreciation. If we put data centers where we need to spend too much on infrastructure, we may just end up with the fizzle.
Ally Stoeger
Gainesville
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You are all correct – but the long game is TRUE TOTAL DESTRUCTION COUNTY-WIDE, which will include everything you point out PLUS the “North-South Corridor” with truck freeways starting in and through Woodbridge, all the way along 234 to the Bi-County Parkway taking out Pageland Lane, driving past data centers everywhere and anywhere, up to Loudoun County and beyond, also putting more trucks along Route 15. This is our Planning Office and Board focused on cars and trucks – not people and quality of life.
Thank you for yet another common sense reason to deny construction of data centers. Just a terrible business decision in the midst of climate change that is certain to deplete watersheds, arable land for farming, and trees that restore oxygen to our world.
Look,I agree with each of your points But…this has little to do with the data centers per se, they are the strawman in all of this.
The BOCS, The Chamber and the developers covet the By County Parkway and the data centers as the entree.
Once the Crescent crumbles they will destroy all the way from 29 down Pageland across 234 all the way down Sanders to Loudoun County/Rte 50 with the ideal leading to a new bridge across the Potomac.
Don’t be deceived by the short game.
The long game is total area destruction