Dear Coalition Friends and Supporters,
Do NOT become immune to what is happening in Prince William — AND the entire state of Virginia.
We are experiencing an onslaught of data center industrialization like no other place on earth.
Apathy must be resisted.
NO locality has been standing up to the data center industry for as long as the residents in Prince William County and demanding that our elected leaders act with urgency. We have new allies, throughout the state and country. Our experience has played a key role in the growing backlash.
Dave Peterson, from Fluvanna, Virginia, has authored a document outlining core American principles for strategic action at every level of government. He has entrusted us to share his labor of love. As a Virginian, a father and a grandfather, he isn’t willing to cede his most important assets and his family to this industrial takeover (complete document attached below).
Virginians MUST STAND UP against the energy infrastructure that has triggered dozens and dozens of transmission lines, slicing and dicing through OUR homes, our property, our history, and our beautiful majestic lands.
Virginians MUST STAND UP against the unprecedented energy generation buildout that will put gas plants, massive industrial solar installations, and, at some point, nuclear reactors throughout our communities — AND force US to foot the bill.
Virginians MUST STAND up to protect our rivers, our watersheds, and our groundwater that supply critical drinking water for humans AND wildlife.
Our advocacy is at every level of government. We fully understand that no one asked to sign up for this fight, no one wants to spend their time demanding better of our local, state, and federal government. But this industry is spreading their bad behavior, like the real-life impacts of an invasive species.
Virginia is in a unique position to show the world that it IS possible to create change.
Call to Action for the Future:
Stay tuned for actions you can take to pause data center approvals in Prince William and advocate for a Moratorium on a statewide level.
Current Local Issues:
Every local elected leader is responsible for the “crisis by contract” the PJM grid is facing, but right now, none is more culpable than Prince William County Board of Supervisors. What do we mean when we say, “crisis by contract?”
Dominion Energy has not only promised power they cannot provide, as evidenced by the threat of a NextEra takeover, but the mere “promise” of a data center being approved was enough to get a data center complex in their power “queue.” How do we know this? A representative for the Chuck Kuhn Gardner application, first proposed in 2022, told us that they are in Dominion’s “second batch.” Which means they are already IN the long-term load forecast planning, even though our Board has NOT approved that possible build out of 3.7 million sq ft.
You know what else was disclosed by a representative to a Coalition Board member? Dominion’s “second batch” means a wait of up to 8 years for power.
But data centers aren’t waiting. More and more are asking for gas turbine permits, like in Remington and Sterling.
Prince William County has approved, even with the death of the Digital Gateway, more than 60 million sq ft of data center development — with multiple data center projects waiting on the horizon for THEIR approval. This Board has a responsibility, not only to county residents but to residents throughout Virginia, to start making the right decisions — and become a part of the solution, not the problem.
NO MORE DATA CENTERS! NO MORE SUBSTATIONS!
Prince William County vote on Vint Hill Expanded Gas Insulated Substation — September 22nd
Local governments throughout Virginia are recently DENYING the approval of substations. Substation approval is under the control of local government. Neither the SCC nor Dominion Energy can supersede that right. In fact, the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, with significant support from Prince William County residents, fought to maintain that right back in 2017.
For those who never had the pleasure of reading the Derecho Blog (written by our beloved and missed Bob Weir), here is WHY we fought so hard nearly a decade ago to keep the approvals of substations under local control.
Substations ARE required for the transmission line infrastructure for the data center power cords that are ripping through private property after private property — robbing Americans of their dreams.
Pressure grows on Fairfax County to deny substation for data center in Lincolnia | FFXnow
“They recognize the data center and the substations impacts aren’t just going to be limited to Fairfax County, and that the health impacts, the diesel generator fumes, and all of that, it’s just a matter of which way the wind blows for where those harms are going to be,” Ray said.
Fauquier planning commission rejects Dominion expansion | News | fauquier.com
“It’s an opening move of turning Fauquier County into a transmission superhighway,” said David Gibson, representing Citizens for Fauquier County.
Commissioner Matthew Smith offered a motion to recommend denial, which passed 4-1, opposed only by Meadows. “The project is incompatible with the county’s comprehensive plan and rural identity, and there are public health and safety concerns due to the location near the school,” Smith said.
OUR Board of Supervisors needs to say NO to the Vint Hill Substation.
Show UP – Don’t like what you see happening in Prince William? Do something. Protecting where you live, protecting your ever-increasing utility bill, isn’t a spectator sport.
Vint Hill Substation Vote – Board of Supervisors
September 22nd
Press Conference 6 pm
Hearing 7 pm
One County Complex – McCoart Building
Woodbridge, VA
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MORATORIUM NOW!
–> NOTE: We have NEW yard signs:
As well as many other different yard signs and t-shirts advocating to protect our communities. Order one today, and start spreading the word to your neighbors!
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