Kevin Coyle Data center news round up
Coverage of Voter Opposition to Prince William County’s 80 Million Square Foot Data Center Takeover
By Kevin Coyle
June 24,2003
Residents of Prince William County have been ignored and even run over by tone deaf and arrogant public officials and data center company representatives. The County, in partnership with the data center industry, has been pushing ahead, under the secretive cloak of non-disclosure agreements, to carry out mind boggling plans for 80 million square feet of centers in the County. This is nearly three times what has been built in Loudoun County, which is now the largest concentration in the world, by far.
Now, PW County residents are taking their communities back from the data center companies and their cynical and well-orchestrated takeover effort. A major example of this is the fight over a massive effort by QTS, Blackstone and Compass to build the Prince William Digital Gateway on 1,600 acres of rural land in the Gainesville area. It is planned for the border of the revered Manassas National Battlefield. They have optioned enough land for 21 million square feet of data centers on areas with the graves of soldiers and enslaved African American people.
Their proposal also borders Virginia’s first state forest and covers an area that was key to establishing local African American freedoms during Reconstruction. Moreover, they want a new four-lane highway along the National Park boundary that will carry as many as 20,000 daily vehicle trips. Notably, the site is also on the boundary of a senior community with some 3,300 middle-class retirees living on fixed incomes with a media age of 76. These residents’ have been scorned by politicians and developers as backward-looking, but their health and economic vulnerabilities are real. The scorn only increases their resolve to fight.
It is a battle that residents are taking to the media, the courts, to shareholders and stock analysists, to local taxing officials, power and water suppliers and, importantly, to the ballot box. Every permit will be contested, every federal contract sought will be challenged. In round one, on June 20th, 2023, these seniors were joined by 21,000 more angry voters in a primary election. Anti-takeover candidates registered two thirds of the vote. The reason for this was simple. The data center companies are exposing PW County residents to health-sapping noise, loss of property value, dangerous diesel pollution, energy blackouts, higher utility bills, worse traffic, unplanned public expenses and more. The unprecedented industrial damage is justified on the basis of promises of plentiful tax revenue but the industry has been enjoying a 60% tax subsidy so far on the backs of residents.
The following 15 pages of media links are evidence of how truly angered PW County residents are by the data center industry’s attempted takeover of the County and how much they will fight companies like QTS, Blackstone and Compass. Awareness of this battle is going nationwide and will make stops, along the way, at County headquarters, the VA Legislature, the governor’s mansion, the halls of Congress, regulatory and permitting agencies and even Wall Street. It is time for a reset. See links below:
Data center backlash fuels Prince William board chair’s election loss
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern Virginia
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
Yahoo
https://www.yahoo.com › lifestyle › backlash-data-cen…
2 days ago — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
Why A Local Primary Election Upset Could Mean Big Changes For Data Center Development
Data Center Opponent Wins Key Virginia Election …
Bisnow
https://www.bisnow.com › data-center-bisnow-national
Feb 23, 2023 — After a Prince William County race that became a referendum on data center development, a vocal opponent won, and developers may have reason …
Novice politician stuns incumbent board chair in Prince William County Democratic primary
Prince William County voters back data center opponents in primary
Data center expansion in Northern Virginia may have led to a stunning upset in
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
Go.com
https://abcnews.go.com › wireStory › backlash-data-ce…
2 days ago — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince William County.
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
MSN
https://www.msn.com › en-us › news › backlash-to-da…
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in nor…
AccessWDUN
https://accesswdun.com › article
2 days ago — (AP) — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
A data center complex the size of 4 Pentagons that … – TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com › video
… Virginia voters would support legislation prohibiting large industrial data centers from being built within a mile of a national park, …
TikTok · npcavids · 1 month ago
Data centers played role in Prince William primary
‘We’re mowed over’: colossal data centers are taking …
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › us-news › jun › virgin…
Jun 5, 2023 — Sources: Digital Gateway boundary from Prince William county, data center locations from Bill Wright and Bob Weir. A report commissioned by …
Local elections in Northern Virginia focus on housing, data centers
Deshundra Jefferson ousts Prince William Board Chair Ann Wheeler
UPSET OVER DATA CENTERS: Deshundra Jefferson unseats Board Chair Ann Wheeler in Democratic primary
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern Virginia
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
Seattle PI
https://www.seattlepi.com › News › Politics
2 days ago — (AP) — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
ABC4 Utah
https://www.abc4.com › news › ap-technology › backl…
2 days ago — (AP) — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
FOX 28 Spokane
https://www.fox28spokane.com › backlash-to-data-ce…
2 days ago — FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince ..
Siliconeer | Backlash To Data Centers Prompts Political …
Siliconeer
https://siliconeer.com › … › Topics › Business and Tech
2 days ago — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a glitch this week in Prince William County.
Backlash To Data Centers Prompts Political Upset In …
Barchart.com
https://www.barchart.com › story › news › backlash-to…
2 days ago — It was approved despite vocal opposition from residents concerned that the data centers are noisy, ugly, and consume massive amounts of …
Jeanine Lawson Wins Republican PW BOCS Chair Primary by Landslide
Prince William County voters back data center opponents in primary
Opinion: We can correct the course of Prince William County’s future
Politics | WSLS 10 News
WSLS 10
https://www.wsls.com › news › politics
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern Virginia … with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince William County.
Politics | Political Headlines
KSAT.com
https://www.ksat.com › news › politics
The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince William County.
https://www.click2houston.com › topic › Technology
May 31, 2023 — The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince William County.
Tech News
Click Orlando
https://www.clickorlando.com › tech
The tech industry’s drive to dot the Virginia landscape with data centers may have hit a snag this week in Prince William County.
Backlash to data centers prompts political upset in northern …
Ground News
https://ground.news › article › backlash-to-data-center…
3 days ago — Deshundra Jefferson, a political newcomer and opponent of data centers, has upset the county’s top elected official Ann Wheeler in the …
Political Winners and Losers: Virginia Primary Elections …
Blue Virginia
https://bluevirginia.us › 2023 Elections
2 days ago — What on earth happened here? Was this a backlash against Wheeler’s support for data centers? Was Wheeler not popular among the Democratic base …
Data centers, housing at center of Prince William County Neabsco District race
Republican candidates eye taxes, data centers in fight for Prince William County chair
Prince William County – The Digital Battlefield
Bean, Kinney & Korman
https://www.beankinney.com › prince-william-county-…
Aug 4, 2022 — Prince William County (PWC) is becoming a crucial location for data center developers. However, as PWC creates incentives for data center …
Data Centers in Northern Virginia May Be Factors for Some …
https://www.youtube.com › watch
Jun 9, 2023 — With the increase in data centers in Northern Virginia, voters in Prince William County may weigh candidates’ stances on the centers when it …
The fans and critics of Virginia data centers
https://www.wvtf.org › news › the-fans-and-critics-of-…
May 26, 2023 — The Prince William County Board of Supervisors is considering a huge data center next door to the Manassas Battlefield. That’s a proposal that ..
UPDATED: Lawson supporters cite data center concerns in GOP primary for county chair
Updated: Lawson wins GOP nomination for Prince William Sups Chair At-large
Data center development divides primary races for Prince William County board chair
QTS Unveils New Plans For Contentious 850-Acre Virginia Data Center Campus
Backlash to Data Centers Prompts Political Upset in …
https://www.thewellnews.com › elections › backlash-to…
1 day ago — It was approved despite vocal opposition from residents concerned that the data centers are noisy, ugly, and consume massive amounts of …
Prince William Residents Endorse Deshundra Jefferson
Data center debate at issue in Dems’ primary for the 29th District state Senate seat
NoVa HOA Roundtable Endorses Candidates in PWC Board Chair Primary
Prince William homeowners sue to block data centers next …
Washington Times
https://www.washingtontimes.com › news › dec › prin…
Dec 9, 2022 — Homeowners in Prince William County, Virginia, have filed two lawsuits to stop data centers from being developed on 2139 acres of privately …
Virginia has a data center problem – GCN
gcn.com
https://gcn.com › cloud-infrastructure › 2022/12 › vir…
Dec 9, 2022 — The divide on data center siting is polarizing, but it isn’t partisan. The Democratic majority on the Prince William board of supervisors …
Data centers may be nearing tipping point in Northern …
https://www.bayjournal.com › growth_conservation › da…
Jun 6, 2023 — The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in late January proposed a variance that would, in some counties, relax restrictions on data …
Robert Duvall joins protests against Amazon data center
https://www.foxbusiness.com › technology › robert-d…
Feb 18, 2023 — A town in Virginia voted to provide Amazon with a special use permit to build a data center despite protests from over 100 speakers, …
Fights over data centers intensify in multiple Northern …
https://wjla.com › news › local › fights-over-data-cent…
Feb 17, 2023 — Actor Robert Duvall joins opposition as fights over data centers intensify in Northern Va. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va.
Amazon Web Services data centers deal in Virginia sparks …
Fortune
https://fortune.com › 2023/01/21 › amazon-web-services…
Jan 21, 2023 — Bill Wright, a Prince William County resident who opposed a massive data center expansion recently approved by the county’s Board of Supervisors …
Data Center Poll Finds Concerns About Parks
DCist
https://dcist.com › Story
May 11, 2023 — Community debate over data centers in Northern Virginia is swelling. In Prince William County, the November zoning change to allow for data …
Missing: controversy | Must include: controversy
Poll: National Parks in Virginia Need Protection from Data …
https://northernvirginiamag.com › news › 2023/05/11
May 11, 2023 — Do Northern Virginians think data centers should be built near national parks? A National Parks Conservation Association poll says no.
Commentary: Virginia has a data center problem
https://royalexaminer.com › commentary-virginia-has-…
Dec 9, 2022 — The divide on data center siting is polarizing, but it isn’t partisan. The Democratic majority on the Prince William board of supervisors …
Data center plan sparks more controversy with residents
More staffers exit Prince William County as data center debate rages
BREAKING: Prince William County Supervisor embroiled in data center controversy says he’s resigning
Demonstration planned to coincide with Prince William …
FOX 5 DC
https://www.fox5dc.com › news › protestors-decry-princ…
Apr 25, 2023 — The controversy in Prince William County surrounding plans to build a massive data center complex continues. GAINESVILLE, Va.
Prince William County signed 11 NDAs last year, seven of …
InsideNoVa.com
https://www.insidenova.com › headlines › prince-william…
Feb 27, 2023 — Prince William County’s Economic Development Department signed 11 non-disclosure agreements in 2022 primarily with data center developers.
Prince William County Residents Protest Data Centers
NBC4 Washington
https://www.nbcwashington.com › northern-virginia › pr…
Apr 25, 2023 — Prince William County Residents Protest Data Centers · More Northern Virginia Videos · Latest.
Gainsville residents hold protest outside … – The Cairns Post
The Cairns Post
https://www.cairnspost.com.au › News › World
The controversy around data centers in Prince William County continues. Tuesday night, residents in Gainsville held a protest outside the …
The Cairns Post · Apr 26, 2023
The Dark Secrets of Prince William County’s Data Center …
The Rural Lune
https://www.rurallune.com › the-dark-secrets-of-princ…
Mar 31, 2023 — In actuality, every single data center in Prince William County serves as an intergalactic communications hub for an extensive network of …
Data center consolidation makes Virginia a nuclear target
The Cavalier Daily
https://www.cavalierdaily.com › article › 2023/02 › da…
Feb 19, 2023 — In reality, three well-placed HEMP missiles in Northern Virginia could effectively fry 60 percent of U.S. data centers — due to data center …
DEQ fears Northern Virginia lacks electricity to power data …
Potomac Local
https://www.potomaclocal.com › 2023/02/01 › deq-fe…
Feb 1, 2023 — The state’s Department of Environmental Quality will consider allowing data centers in Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun County (the world’s …
In Northern Virginia, a Coming Data Center Boom Sounds …
InsideClimate News
https://insideclimatenews.org › News
Feb 10, 2023 — MANASSAS, Va.—In Great Oak, about three miles from the iconic Manassas Railroad Depot, a vast Amazon Web Services data center fills the …
Recall effort launched against Prince William Supervisor …
WTOP
https://wtop.com › Local News
Jun 28, 2022 — The petition focuses on alleged neglect of duty and misuse of office, citing a litany of votes Candland has taken on data centers, related …
Pro-data center flyers sent home with Prince …
Prince William Times
https://www.princewilliamtimes.com › news › pro-data-c…
Jun 4, 2023 — The school division is blaming QTS data centers, one of two data center companies involved in the Prince William Digital Gateway, a …
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Data center community meeting canceled amidst controversy
FOX 5 DC
https://www.fox5dc.com › news › data-center-communit…
May 2, 2023 — The subject of data centers continues to cause controversy in Northern Virginia where a community meeting on the issue was canceled Tuesday …
Data center plan sparks more controversy with residents
Yahoo
https://www.yahoo.com › lifestyle › data-center-plan-s…
Apr 25, 2023 — The controversy surrounding data centers continue. Two developers looking to build in Prince William County hosted community meetings.
Diesel generators powering data centers in Northern Virginia could be harming the environment
Data Centers In The Wrong Place: It’s A Bad Deal
– Nature Forward
https://natureforward.org › data-centers-in-the-wrong-…
Oct 11, 2022 — On September 13, 2022, ANS submitted written comments in opposition to a plan in Prince William County to bisect the protected areas of …
Keep Massive Industrial Data Centers Away from our …
National Parks Conservation Association
https://www.npca.org › advocacy › 102-keep-massive…
Share on: … New developments could compromise the environmental integrity of several national parks in Virginia, including Prince William Forest Park, Manassas …
Protect Virginia Battlefields from Massive Data Centers
American Battlefield Trust
https://www.battlefields.org › preserve › speak-out › p…
Preservation Virginia Calls Out Threat of Data Centers To Historic Battlefields in Annual ‘Endangered Sites’ List · American Battlefield Trust Opposes Data …