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Fairfax County is Open for Data Center Business!
by Ann Bennett
Virginia Sierra Club Data Issues and Great Falls Group Land Use Chair |
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Sierra Club Great Falls Group (SCGFG) worked to encourage the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) to strengthen the Data Center Zoning Ordinance Amendment, which was approved on Tuesday, September 10th. We are disappointed that the BOS chose a few, weak land use changes that do not "meet the moment" at a time when Northern Virginia is adding tens of millions of new square footage of data center development and our local policies do not adequately regulate their enormous energy, water and carbon impacts.
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We appreciated Supervisor Alcorn's leadership to offer an amendment that would've required the proposed Plaza 500 data center and other unapproved data centers to comply with the new zoning ordinance protections, but it was defeated 8-2. Supervisor Jimenez was the other vote in support. Chairman McKay and those in favor have signaled that they are keen to open the doors for data centers in Fairfax County's industrial and commercial districts (though in preferred areas), but are not willing to require massive companies like Amazon Web Services to adhere to meaningful standards and setbacks to protect residents from harm. And ratepayers will help foot the bills.
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Data Centers' Greed for Water
by Ross Shearer, Vienna, Virginia |
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Northern Virginia is in the midst of a Big Data enterprise fueled by Big Profits and Big Banks to realize Artificial Intelligence’s seemingly unbounded appetite. To meet the enormity of their enterprise, demands on resources are rising quickly. Those demands include outsized drawdowns of municipal treated water, the same water we require for drinking, cooking, bathing, and swimming.
Fully aware of data centers’ adverse impacts on local public resources, its proprietors are now resorting to Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA’s). For public officials in some Virginia counties, particularly Orange and Prince William, to strike secretive deals favorable to the industry (1). In Fairfax, proprietors are using traditional warehouse zoning criteria as a Trojan Horse to displace the relatively benign retail goods these warehousing sites had originally been zoned to allow. The environmental impacts we generally associate with heavy industry are what we are getting. They include high energy and water demands that conventional warehousing of goods don’t require.
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Loudoun County Data Center Updates
by Natalie Pien
Executive Committee member, Sierra Club Great Falls Group; Board of Directors Piedmont Environmental Council; Board of Directors Chesapeake Climate Action Network |
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Sierra Club Virginia Gathering
Nov 15 through Nov 17
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Join the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter’s Annual Gathering in Natural Bridge, VA in the Blue Ridge Mountains! This weekend-long event is a special event dedicated to celebrating our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and grassroots action. There will be fun outdoor events, educational programs and guest speakers, a Saturday night live music party, and plenty of time to hike, rest and rejuvenate. It will bring inspiration, engaging discussions, shared community, and actionable insights. Whether you are a long-time Sierra Club supporter or new to our mission, this gathering is an opportunity to deepen your engagement with fellow environmentalists and amplify your impact.
Space is limited. Register today to reserve your spot!
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Volunteering is good for the environment!
We have new opportunities for volunteers in the Sierra Club Great Falls Group. See nine ideas here to find some that are a fit for you. Local volunteering
for the environment helps you and your community by:
- Cutting down on emissions by traveling close to home
- Giving you a sense of belonging in your own community
- Opening you socially to more people in your area
- Supporting local projects and people
- Teaching you more about your community and other ways to help
- The personal connections you can gain from volunteering locally can open you up to a wide range of advantages.
Not only will you make new friends but you’ll also be able to develop relationships in the long-term for as long as you live in the area. You learn more about what’s going on in your area, like events, groups and clubs, and more.
See the opportunities
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For the GFG weekly environmental events email, join the listserv here and select subscribe (or unsubscribe).
Sierra Club Outings |
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| The MeetUp group for Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO) is a special activities section of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. The group organizes hikes and other events in Virginia, DC and Maryland. No Sierra Club membership is necessary to participate. SCPRO welcomes all people on a variety of outdoor adventures, nature walks, conservation outings, and exploration of our natural and regional history. Join SCPRO MeetUp here |
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Power for the People Virginia
Recent posts from Ivy Main's blog on energy-related matters in Virginia.
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Ivy Main, Renewable Energy Chair for Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter
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