- Warner, Kaine and Local Candidates Push to End NDAs on Data Center Deals
Senators urge voters to put officials on the record as secrecy surrounds projects like Wood Haven Technology Park.
- Data Center Fight Moves Into Greater Richmond as 17 Campuses Advance Across Eight Counties
Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Dinwiddie hearings fill with water, power, and tax-base arguments while Spanberger’s September directives and moratorium petitions set the statewide backdrop.
- Data Center Development Could Triple Energy Demand if Unconstrained
On Monday, the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission published its long-awaited Report about data centers.
- Appalachian Power Pegs Google Botetourt Grid Upgrades at 264 Million
Filings say the campus would draw about 300 megawatts and that other ratepayers should not cover the dedicated work.
- Rural Virginia has been kind to the GOP, yet Trump’s GOP allows rural healthcare to suffer
It would be easy to blame Republicans — especially the present White House occupant — for the steady atrophying of healthcare that’s readily accessible to Virginians in rural areas. You wouldn’t be wrong. You wouldn’t be totally right either. Policies put in place during President Donald Trump’s second term contribute substantially to the declining availability […]
- Northern Virginia Lawmakers Suhas Subramanyam, James Walkinshaw Receive Tech Contributions Amid Data Center Debates
Northern Virginia has emerged as the world’s largest data center market, with facilities expanding significantly in counties such as Loudoun. Local residents have expressed opposition to additional development of these large-scale operations near residential areas. Three Democratic House members from the region have received campaign contributions from individuals and groups connected to companies
- Pro-data center industry group behind ad campaign in Virginia
Just days before the Oregon Legislature in March passed a one-year pause on a popular tax incentive program for data centers, a group called Oregon Connects registered as a nonprofit business in the state. Then the ads started appearing. “From homes to hospitals to businesses, Oregon’s data centers are unlocking a smarter power grid for […]
- Virginia’s new pay transparency law changes the rules for job postings
Virginia job seekers now have a right to know what a position pays before applying online under a new state law aimed at giving workers more leverage in hiring and salary negotiations. The new law, which took effect July 1, requires employers to include a good-faith wage or salary range in public and internal job […]
- Concerns Raised Over FCPS Internet Oversight Practices
Fairfax County Public Schools have drawn attention for limitations in their internet monitoring protocols. A recent presentation details specific enhancements proposed to address these areas. The discussion centers on several key monitoring components that require further development. Proposed Monitoring Enhancements Keyword search monitoring forms one element in the suggested improvements for tra
- State’s love affair with data centers is cooling
This post was originally published on this site.Data centers. Data centers. They are a necessity. We could benefit from data centers building in areas where there is a greater need, and doing more economic good, rather than rushing to build them at a jackrabbit’s pace. Virginia is home to one of the largest concentrations of […]
- Virginia nonprofit launches mobile tech education bus for underserved students
Two retired military cybersecurity experts in Virginia recently launched a bus service in Hampton Roads to raise awareness and educate students about technology, after receiving an unexpected state budget appropriation of $200,000. The cyber education bus is the latest way the nonprofit organization RFK Outreach will fulfill its goal to help children and teens learn […]
- Amid Virginia drought conditions, data centers face same restrictions as all water customers
About one-third of the state of Virginia is under extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger is urging citizens to conserve water. So when local water authorities implement restrictions on water use, are there specific carve outs and rules for data centers, which use hundreds of thousands of gallons […]
- Fairfax Schools Address Online Monitoring Concerns
Fairfax County Public Schools have been the subject of discussions regarding their student online monitoring capabilities. The primary focus involves identified gaps in keyword search monitoring and Google Suite security measures. These elements are described as essential for detecting signs that students may need assistance. The concerns stem from an analysis of current school internet […]
- Virginia’s romance with data centers has cooled, but nobody benefits if there’s a full breakup
Data centers. Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them. But we could do with data centers slowing their jackrabbit pace of reproduction in congested suburbs and, instead, building where they could fill a need and do more economic good. Our romance with data centers has cooled in Virginia, home to the world’s greatest concentration […]
- US Supreme Court in Virginia case says police need warrants for cellphone location data
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that law enforcement searches for the location history of cellphones near crime scenes are covered by the Fourth Amendment, requiring warrants to obtain the data. But the high court left unsettled when searches for the information are reasonable — likely meaning the justices will eventually weigh in again on […]
- Residents wrangle over transmission line proposal for rural Virginia
GOOCHLAND, Va.—Deborah Blackburn leaned on her cane in a line to enter the Central High Cultural and Educational Complex, angst-ridden over a giant transmission line proposal for reasons that are common refrains here: It’s all to benefit data centers in Northern Virginia, and it will disrupt the rural character here outside Richmond. “We don’t want […]
- New state law mandates review of Dominion’s load forecasting, as data centers raise concerns
Virginia State Corporation Commission members hear testimony concerning Dominion Energy’s proposed rate increase and plan to create a new rate class for data centers on September 2, 2025 in Richmond. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) Dominion Energy’s annual rate case in September prompted concerns from data centers about how fast the utility connects their industry […]
- Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
A voter casts a ballot in the April 21 redistricting referendum at the Stonebridge Recreational Center in Chesterfield County. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation f
- Marijuana testing challenges persist as Virginia retail market nears
Photo of Virginia Cannabis Control Authority graphic with campaign material on their website. (Photo courtesy Virginia Cannabis Control Authority) By Stef Anderson/VCU Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. –THC breathalyzers are often discussed as a way to detect drivers under the influence, especially as Virginia closes in on a retail cannabis market, but questions remain about […]
- Caste Legislation in the US is Not Emancipatory Reform
Recent efforts in the West, particularly in the United States, to legislate ‘caste’ as a protected category, similar to race, religion, and national origin, have elicited sharply divergent reactions. In academia and among human rights advocates, these measures have been celebrated as extending one of the world’s most ambitious affirmative action regimes: a modern state […]
- A Virginia political scribe recalls the dark ages of covering campaigns and elections before VPAP
The Virginia Public Access Project websites homepage. (Photo courtesy VPAP) We Virginians are about to elect our 75th governor, the first woman to hold the office. For those not yet up to speed, you can learn quite a lot about Democrat Abigail Spanberger or Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in very short order. For instance, in two […]
- As demand for AI rises, so do power thirsty data centers
The next time you’re on a Zoom meeting or asking ChatGPT a question, picture this: The information zips instantaneously through a room of hot, humming servers, traveling hundreds, possibly thousands of miles, before it makes its way back to you in just a second or two.
- The Evolution of DOGE: From Obama’s Creation to Suhas Subramanyam’s Opposition
The Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE, has a storied history that began under President Barack Obama as an initiative to enhance government operations.
- Google, Virginia policy makers discuss growing data center demand
Leading tech firm Google, which has invested over $4 billion in Virginia and owns three data center campuses in the northern region of the state, co-hosted a private meeting in Richmond Tuesday alongside the state’s energy department to talk about how electric grid investments can meet data centers’ rising energy needs.