Coalition to Protect Prince William County – Questions Relating to Data Centers
For Virginia Congressional 7th and 10th District Candidates
Answers provided by:
MARION DEVOE FOR CONGRESS DISTRICT 10 VIRGINIA
MAY 22, 2024
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- Right now, data centers alone account for 20% of the electricity provided statewide by Dominion Energy, and over 50% of the electricity provided by NOVEC service territory. Those percentages are growing. Do you think this is sustainable? What is your position on the growth of Data Centers in northern Virginia over the past decade? (Please provide response here)
This is not sustainable, my background in dealing with high electric use comes from being a COO for the United States Postal Service and building Postal Distribution Centers the size of shopping malls. Everywhere we built a Postal facility of this size it impacted the electric grid and the postal Service were responsible for building and adding electric transfer stations to support the electric grid use. AI is growing the demand for Data Centers. My position on this is County and State governments should not allow these centers to pass the cost on to the communities and residents. There are also more problems that will come from these centers including environmental concerns, that will last for generations. As congressman, I will put in place and write legislations that will prohibit environmental concerns for Northern Virginia and place a limit on the number of data centers that can be built in a 50-mile radius.
I will recommend that no farm land can be converted to or sold, lease to data centers. My priority for land use is for affordable homes and NOT Data Centers. I will also prohibit and support legislation to prevent data center form passing the increase in the cost of electricity use on to consumers.
I recently heard of plans to support these centers with nuclear energy. This will not and shall not happened if I am elected to congress.
- The Coalition to Save Prince William County is currently participating in a lawsuit to block the Digital Gateway, which would site 23 million square feet of Data Centers within a half-mile of Manassas National Battlefield Park. Will you support Federal legislation to prohibit Data Centers within close proximity of national parks and historic sites?
Absolutely, I live in Prince William County and District 10, unlike three of my competitors who live else where but is running as a candidate for District 10 where the data center are concentrated and being built and these candidates will care less if elected. But I will support legislations to prohibit the building of these centers near our sacred battle fields and request an investigation into who is involved in these negotiations and possible financial kickbacks.
- The growth of Data Centers requires the use of additional power plants, mainly coal-fired and gas-fired, to provide sufficient “baseload” power, thereby nullifying the purpose of the Virginia Clean Economy Act passed in 2020. Will you support Federal legislation to limit Data Centers by requiring that they only use renewable sources and comply with the federal governments energy star program ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for Commercial Buildings | ENERGY STAR?
I will support legislations requiring Data Centers to use renewable source of energy to comply with federal regulations and guidelines and bar future use of fossil fuel by these centers.
- Given the explosive load demand from Data Centers that is triggering transmission lines which cross not only county boundaries but also state lines, is it appropriate that the Federal government usurp State authority by designating power corridors under the jurisdiction of NIETC?
I will support have NIETC authority overseeing the transmission lines crossing county and state boundaries.
- Public utilities have a cost sharing structure that spreads investments for new transmission and generation across all rate payers. Given that the Data Center industry is the trigger for a significant portion of the new transmission and generation infrastructure, in what ways do you support a more appropriate cost shift to the data center industry?
I strongly support the cost shift of the transmission to the Data Centers not consumers in the area.
- As a federal official, in order to understand the cumulative impacts of the data center industry demand on power, water, and agricultural land, will you support a comprehensive report on the impacts to those critical resources?
I will strongly support research and study on Data Center impact on our environment when I am elected.
- Please share your understanding of the impacts of data center development on both ground and surface water resources. How would you address Data Centers’ impervious surfaces impacts and water consumption to protect access to clean water?
As a former COO for the USPS where I built massive postal facilities the size of shopping malls. I had to plan for water displacement of these massive building and water recycling. Normally if there were no buildings natural rain water will fall to earth and becomes part of ground water beneath the earth surface. However massive building structures takes away the ground surface by replacing with concrete and parking lots pavement and this created water runoff into storms drains going to water treatment plants for clean water. I will recommend that new centers build water collection center retention areas to allow water to return to ground naturally.
- Provide any additional information that outlines steps you have taken to protect citizens against data center proliferation.
I will recommend a study on electromagnetic wave and communities health concerns in Data Center areas.
- Will you use your position as a member of Congress to speak to the issue of data center proliferation?
YES, I will represent Virginia on the issue of Data Centers. I live in this District where the Data Centers are being built. Currently Northern Virginia is the Data Center Capital of the country and because of our excellent power infrastructure. I will fight to change this.