Coalition to Protect Prince William County
PO Box 474 | Haymarket, VA 20168
www.protectpwc.org
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PRESS RELEASE
Rally to Stand Up to Corruption and Stop the Destruction – Tuesday, September 13, 5:30 PM at 1 County Complex, Woodbridge VA 22192
Executive director says: “Democracy dies in darkness, where corrupt development thrives”
Haymarket, Virginia (September 13, 2022) – Prince William County citizens continue to rally against corrupt development and work to recall politicians who are lining their own pockets, despite increasing efforts by Board of Supervisors Chair Anne Wheeler and her handlers to silence the public.
“Wheeler knows she’s been caught in self-dealing and serving the interests of data center developers and speculators at the expense of citizens,” Coalition executive director Elena Schlossberg said.
“Bottom line, Wheeler is subverting current policy,” Schlossberg noted. “While the Data Center Overlay district needs critical updating to account for noise in adjacent areas, it has generally kept data centers near water and power infrastructure – and away from residential areas with schools, and out of rural greenspace and watersheds. But whether it’s PW Digital Gateway’s rural industrialization, or Devlin Technology Park plopping ‘backyard data centers’ near families and children, Wheeler has prioritized changes threatening the whole county, and beyond. That’s why groups ranging from the Sierra Club and National Parks Conservation Association to the Piedmont Environmental Council and the Prince William Conservation Alliance have had to say, ‘We understand the 21st century need for data centers, but these specific changes are wrong.’ Wheeler has chosen to sideline and silence these groups, as well as individual citizens.”
“Wheeler’s willingness to jettison both integrity and independence is shocking It’s obvious what she stands to gain by violating current policy and process to force an outcome benefiting such a narrow group. And it can’t be easy serving as the handmaiden for former ideological and personal opponents – not to mention the industrial and, yes, residential developers funding them – even if the pay is good.”
“She knows that citizens’ voices at rallies, in recalls, and speaking directly to the Board put her political career – and personal checkbook – at risk. Sadly, like so many recently, her go-to move has been to inject confusion and silence dissent. Threatening to end citizens’ time altogether? That’s a sad, new low.”
“That’s why we’re inviting citizens from across the county and region to participate Tuesday, September 13th in the rally at 5:30PM along Route 294/PW Parkway near the McCoart Building, followed by our joint press conference outside McCoart at 6:30PM,” Schlossberg added.
“It’s clear, what Wheeler fears most isn’t getting caught – that’s already happened – she fears most being held publicly accountable,” Schlossberg concluded, “That’s why she’s trying to dim the lights and close the doors when it comes to citizen participation. Luckily, the citizens of this county have never – and will never – let themselves be silenced and sidelined when so much is at stake.”
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Speakers:
Dr. John Lyver, Ph.D., Retired NASA Engineering Manager – Gainesville District Resident
James Thomas – Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in architecture and a minor in psychology. Passionate about redefining the human/habitat relationship – Gainesville Resident
Rhonda Reese – citizen who is passionate about her community Gainesville resident
Vida Carroll – mom and homesteader – Brentsville resident
Thomas Keapproth – 5th grader, Prince William County public school – Brentsville resident
All Prince William Tax Payers Will Pay for Data Centers Built Near Schools – Bristow Beat
Protestors chant outside Amazon Web Services Data Center | wusa9.com
coalition_comments_waterstudy.pdf (pwconserve.org)
Virginia activists fight to protect green space from data center development | Energy News Network
NASA Scientist Warns Bristow-area Residents Will Hear New Data Centers – Bristow Beat
read many more articles here at www.protectpwc.org
