Press Release
Press conference and rally organized by CABSA and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County
Tuesday, September 9th
6:30 pm
Bristow Data Center Campus Vote (4th attempt)
McCoart Government Building
One County Complex, Woodbridge
CABSA and the Coalition to Protect Prince Willam County have organized this press conference to address the 4th attempt for a vote on the Bristow Data Center Campus. We have gathered residents from across the county, and candidates from BOTH parties running to fill the empty Gainesville District seat.
Bristow Data Center Campus Rezoning application
Bristow Data Center Campus Special Use Permit application
WHY do we have an expectation that the Board of Supervisors AND STACK Data Centers will defer this vote? Because on June 24th, the 3rd time it was on the Board’s agenda, it was clear the Bristow Campus was headed for a denial vote. Chair Deshundra Jefferson said it best: “I think we all know why this keeps being deferred. The votes aren’t there…My math ain’t good, but I can count to five.” This was the very last Board meeting that included Supervisor Bob Weir in-person before his untimely and sudden death less than a month later.
While there are MANY issues and questions with this application: including the possible routing of the proposed Dominion Energy Nokesville Transmission line through streams and trails if this Bristow Campus is approved; or the fact that this data center campus is outside the Data Center Opportunity Zone; or that this campus ADDS to the unprecedented, and yet-to-be-built-out, 90 million sq ft of data center development in Prince William County…
The core reason to defer this application is that Gainesville District residents have NO representation on the Board of Supervisors. It is simply ghoulish to ram this decision through, knowing that the only reason it will pass is because Supervisor Bob Weir is dead.
Bristow Campus data center project deferred at 11th hour | Headlines | insidenova.com
“Angry and Andrea Bailey, Potomac District supervisor, each praised the Bristow Campus application – with Angry deeming it “a great project” and calling the 4-4 tie “very unfortunate.”
There is too much at stake to push this vote through without full representation for ALL residents.
Press conference speakers:
Elena Schlossberg – Coalition to Protect PWC – Gainesville District resident
Angela Klein – CABSA – Brentsville District resident
Steve Marron – Saybrook Community member and resident of Brentsville District
Stan Rediger – Four Seasons Community member and resident of Potomac District
Delton Nichols – Resident of Occoquan District
George Stewart – Democrat running for Gainesville seat
Patrick Harders – Republican running for Gainesville seat
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IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY:
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Dear Coalition Friends and Supporters –
There is no denying the reality: Prince William County residents are paying the price for the data center industry. Some of us are paying in more ways than our utility bills.
Some residents are suffering from Dominion’s overreach into private property as they run new transmission lines through our communities to feed the data centers’ growing appetite for energy.
ENOUGH. For years now we have been demanding a halt to industrial sprawl, especially when it comes to data centers outside of the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District.
Once again, the Board of Supervisors will be considering yet another data center application.
On September 9, the BOCS is scheduled to hear the Bristow Campus data center rezoning application.
This is the FOURTH attempt by these applicants to maneuver a win.
To understand why holding this vote on September 9th is so totally unacceptable, one must understand what happened in the opening minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting on June 24.
June 24 was Supervisor Bob’s last meeting in person. He was gone less than a month later – on July 20.
The Bristow data center campus application was on the June 24 agenda, but it was yanked by the applicant at the last minute, a mere 22 minutes before Chair Jefferson gaveled in the afternoon session.
WHY was it deferred yet again, for the 3rd time?
Watch here, beginning at time stamp 57:44: https://pwcgov.granicus.com/player/clip/3657?view_id=23&redirect=true
Watch our Supervisor Bob eviscerate the last-minute deferral by Stack Data Centers, the developer for the Bristow Campus; alluding to why he believes there has been an “11th hour” deferral request.
In case you don’t have time to watch, we believe Chair Jefferson does a spectacular job cutting right to the chase at time stamp 1:04:52
“I think we all know why this keeps being deferred. The votes aren’t there…My math ain’t good, but I can count to five.”
In fact, when the attorney was asked by Chair Jefferson WHY Stack pulled the application at the last minute, the attorney could not provide an answer, other than “I don’t know, I was not given a reason.”
“Brentsville Supervisor Tom Gordy, whose district includes the property, added, “I agree with your sentiment Madame Chair, about why there is a deferral, the votes are not there”
Now, there is the real possibility that STACK Data will take advantage of a BOCS that only has 7 members. With the Gainesville seat empty, Bristow Campus could easily be rammed through by the applicant with only 4 votes instead of 5.
Data centers do not operate in a bubble. They have a heavy impact on our entire county.
In particular: the Bristow Campus sits directly in and would impact the Broad Run watershed. It would trigger significant dump truck traffic in the Gainesville district as proffers dictate the dirt can only be dumped in Loudoun County. It would require significant electrical infrastructure impacting the entire region and YOUR utility bill.
Our elected representation cannot allow Bristow Campus to move forward in September. A decision on this project MUST be deferred until the entire community has fair and equal representation.
What’s more, common decency and respect to Supervisor Bob Weir DEMANDS a deferral until the Gainesville District has a supervisor sitting on that dais.
Unless of course, there are cynical supervisors who would prefer the “new math” of only “count to four.”
Still not sure WHY data center development is responsible for your rising electricity bill? Watch this great video below. OUR Supervisors need to understand — the decisions they make do not happen in a vacuum; the consequences of their votes are directly linked to rising utility costs and impacts on the quality of our environment. And Supervisor Weir well understood this.
Supervisors – Pay Attention:
https://youtu.be/YN6BEUA4jNU?si=gAQI_Nzuyxu-vaKV
TAKE ACTION:
-> Please take a moment to tell the BOCS to DEFER a decision on Bristow Campus until EVERY resident in the county has representation. Sign this easy-to-send email.
-> Show up in person at the joint press conference with CABSA (Civic Association of Brentsville and Surrounding Areas). Demand respect for the Gainesville District.
Joint Press Conference
CABSA and Coalition to Protect PWC
September 9th
6:30 pm
McCoart Building, Woodbridge
-> Speak during the hearing to let the Supervisors know the Bristow data center vote MUST be deferred.
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