Water
- Henrico Adopts PFAS Monitoring Rules for Industrial Wastewater Discharges
Supervisors updated maximum discharge limits to match state permits and federal forever-chemical standards.
- 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.
- Virginia Beach Urges Residents to Cut Nonessential Water Use Amid Drought
Public utilities say reservoir levels are about 10 percent below normal after a dry 2026, the most serious local drought conditions since 2002.
- Nicole Cole House Bill 422 Limits Water Utility Rate Increase Filings
The Virginia House of Delegates approved House Bill 422 on February 4, 2026, with a vote of 69-29, sending the measure to the Senate for consideration.
- Valley Link Transmission Line Threatens Generational Farm in Orange County
Michael Carter Jr.
- Robert Bloxom House Bill 52 on Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Material Passes Assembly
RICHMOND — In a unanimous display of bipartisan cooperation, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 52 on March 10, 2026, establishing a statewide policy to prioritize the beneficial use of dredged material from waterways. Sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr., the mea
- Louise Lucas and Don Scott Clash as Virginia Budget Talks Stall Over Data Center Tax Breaks
With just days remaining in the 2026 legislative session, Virginia lawmakers are running out of time to reach agreement on a new two-year state budget, even as Democrats control the governor’s office and both chambers of the General Assembly. As of Wednesday afternoon, budget con
- Data Center Bills Dominated This Year's General Assembly. Here's What Passed.
The rapid growth of Virginia’s data center industry was a key point of focus during the 2026 legislative session, as lawmakers sought to balance the sector’s benefits — including over $80 billion in state investments and thousands of jobs — against its enormous electricity and water needs, which are a growing concern for communities statewide. Legislators filed dozens of bills directly aimed at re
- The main lesson from DEQ’s groundwater report: Virginia must budget to live within environmental limits
The timing of the release of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s report on groundwater availability last month was suspicious, given that it was completed in January but not made available to lawmakers or the public until several months after the General Assembly’s legislative session. The science presented in the report is impressive, while its […]
- What candidates have planned for Virginia’s coast could decide a key congressional race
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. With Virginia’s Aug. 4 primaries in the rearview mirror, the ballot is set in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts. In the state’s second congressional district, Republican […]
- Debate Emerges Over Water Systems for Expanding Data Centers
A recent public meeting addressed the question of requiring closed-loop water systems for new data centers in regions experiencing water scarcity. The speaker referenced a total of 253 data centers in the community, with 250 already in operation. This context framed the discussion on regulating technology expansion while maintaining environmental considerations. The proposal centers on […]
- Loudoun Supervisor Mike Turner Proposes Mandatory Closed-Loop Water Systems for New Data Centers
Loudoun County Supervisor Mike Turner has proposed that all new data centers incorporate mandatory closed-loop water systems. The suggestion targets the significant water consumption associated with these facilities. Data centers account for 10 percent of the county’s potable water. Most existing operations currently rely on systems that could incorporate closed-loop features. The proposal was pre
- Lowdown from Loudoun: Mike Turner shares data center tips with Maryland audience
Michael Turner, a county supervisor in Loudoun County, Virginia, estimates that the public perception of hyperscale data centers has shifted considerably in the last six to nine months — and he isn’t sure why. Turner, a government official in the county with one of the world’s highest concentrations of data centers with over 250, said […]
- Lashrecse Aird Proposal Emerges to Address PFAS Chemicals at Richmond Airport
Virginia Senator Lashrecse Aird has introduced a call for a detailed plan to phase out toxic PFAS chemicals specifically at Richmond International Airport. The focus rests on safeguarding Virginia’s water supply from potential downstream effects. This measure seeks to address concentrations that may occur in certain areas near such facilities. Richmond International Airport operates as […]
- Black lung cases surging again in Southwest Virginia, Appalachia; miners blame blocked regulations
With new research showing that black lung disease among Appalachian coal miners has reached an almost 50-year high, advocates are demanding federal regulations be enforced. The data published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine is also part of a peer-reviewed research letter from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health […]
- Hampton leaders cool to limited Army Corps flood solutions
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draft feasibility study proposing scaled-down protection without structural elements like floodwalls for vulnerable portions of Hampton and Poquoson got a frosty reception from Hampton’s city manager during a recent presentation to City Council. The $4.2 billion Coastal Storm Risk Management plan, now open to public comment, calls for elevating […]
- DEQ study throws cold water on data center development east of I-95
Among the many environmental, energy and economic concerns about the unconstrained spread of data centers in Virginia, the impact on drinking water supplies has ranked fairly low. That changed suddenly last week, with the release of a report that the administration of Gov. Abigail Spanberger seems to have tried to suppress. In compliance with […]
- Loudoun County, other Virginia localities consider hitting the brakes on data center development
Loudoun County, ground zero of Data Center Alley and home to over 250 of the power-hungry digital warehouse facilities, is considering a pause on all new data center project applications, officials said this week. “The community has basically been begging us to do something about the unchecked growth of data centers,” County Supervisor Juli Briskman […]
- Virginia Study Documents Rising Chloride Levels and Potential for Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Plain Aquifers
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality finds that chloride concentrations are increasing locally in parts of Eastern Virginia and on the Eastern Shore. These trends raise the potential for regional saltwater intrusion into freshwater portions of the Coastal Plain aquifer system east of Interstate 95. The analysis forms part of a […]
- Virginia Study Finds Hyperscale Data Centers Would Fail Groundwater Permit Criteria East of I-95
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality concludes that a typical hyperscale data center requiring approximately three million gallons of groundwater per day would fail current permit evaluation criteria in nearly all locations across the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95. The analysis forms part of a broader examination of groundwater supply […]
- Virginia Study Documents Groundwater Levels Below Sea Level and Reversed Flow Patterns in Coastal Plain
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality finds that groundwater levels have dropped below sea level across large inland areas of the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95. Decades of heavy pumping, especially from paper mills near Franklin and West Point, have reversed the natural predevelopment flow patterns in the aquifer system. […]
- Virginia Study Projects Declining Groundwater Availability Within Five to Ten Years Under Current Trajectories
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality finds that stabilized gains in groundwater levels across the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95 are already stalling. Models project renewed declines in availability within five to ten years in key areas if current withdrawal patterns continue without policy changes. The analysis forms part of […]
- Virginia Coastal Plain Groundwater Study Finds Limited Capacity for New Withdrawals East of I-95
A detailed report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, released in 2026 as Senate Document No. 6, concludes that the groundwater supply in the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95 has limited capacity for significant new withdrawals. Modeling of the Virginia Coastal Plain aquifer system indicates that most evaluated locations can support only small […]
- Virginia Coastal Plain Experiences Measurable Land Subsidence from Aquifer Compaction Linked to Long-Term Groundwater Withdrawals
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality finds that aquifer compaction caused by long-term groundwater withdrawals is producing measurable land subsidence in parts of the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95. When sustained pumping reduces water pressure within the aquifer sediments, the pore spaces collapse under the weight of overlying material, resulting […]
- Industrial Facilities Dominate Permitted Groundwater Withdrawals in Virginia’s Coastal Plain
A 2026 report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality finds that industrial facilities, including paper mills, specialty chemical plants, and poultry operations, account for the largest share of permitted groundwater withdrawals in the Coastal Plain east of Interstate 95. Five of the top users alone exert sufficient influence to shape regional water levels across […]
- Virginia legislator Louise Lucas was allowed to use campaign funds for her defense. So she did.
State Sen. Louise Lucas, the powerful Portsmouth Democrat, used $300,000 in campaign funds to contribute to her legal defense fund and hire a law firm following an FBI raid in May on her businesses in Portsmouth. That’s a sizable amount. What The Virginian-Pilot article should have noted higher in the story was that Lucas was […]
- Virginia senators request special session to act on ’deeply alarming’ groundwater report
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released its 117-page legislative report on the state’s groundwater supply east of Interstate 95 this week, which revealed significant levels of strain on the eastern aquifers that could put clean drinking water at risk. “Groundwater supply east of I-95 is constrained, and current projections indicate declining availability in the […]
- As Virginia officials weigh data center pushback, report details industry’s public service funding
As a single mother balancing work against earning a nursing degree, Yvettrise Hoskie thought homeownership was out of her reach. Now, she’s settling into a Henrico County townhome development. The county’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund helped with her downpayment, but the financial assistance was made possible by one of the state’s more controversial neighbors — […]
- 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 […]
- Brown water, dust and loud noises: Louisa homeowner sues Amazon over data center construction
From the driveway of his Louisa home and business, Austin Newsome sees dozens of dump trucks barrel down Route 33 most days, hauling dirt and other debris. The road is stained rusty red from the soil displaced by the construction of Amazon’s latest data center campus in the county. One day, Newsom said, his neighbor […]
- Shoosmith Landfill Enters Closure Phase Amid Bankruptcy and Regulatory Adjustments
The Shoosmith landfill, situated at 11520 Iron Bridge Road in Chester, Virginia, within the Dale District of Chesterfield County, has ceased accepting waste and is preparing for closure. The facility, permitted under solid waste permit SWP587, opened in 1976 and encompasses approximately 335 acres with a disposal boundary of 203.5 acres. Its total capacity reached […]
- Virginia Advances Data Center Projects Amid Concerns Over Energy and Water
Virginia continues to move forward with plans for extensive data center facilities. Projections indicate these centers could double the state’s electricity demand. Water resources may also face additional pressures from the operations. Electric bills for residents are anticipated to rise under current trajectories. No detailed plan has been presented to manage the full scope of […]
- Goochland residents rebuff data center developer Tract ahead of permit application
On Thursday evening, dozens of Goochland residents donned red t-shirts and held signs that spelled out their displeasure with the idea of multiple data centers being built in the county’s technology overlay district that butts up against Mosaic, a 55+ neighborhood that hosts over 500 homes. “We want to make sure that everyone understands that […]
- White’s Ferry paves way for Potomac River crossing’s reopening
A Virginia-based ferry owner has donated his dormant transportation service that connects the commonwealth to Maryland, ending Virginia’s era of ownership in hopes of lifting the ferry suspension after six years. White’s Ferry is one of a few that remain nationally. At the time of its closure in December 2020, it allowed 600 to 800 […]
- Virginia’s New Data Center Tax: A Billion-Dollar Excuse for Government Expansion
Virginia lawmakers have officially adopted a first-of-its-kind statewide energy consumption tax on data centers, sparking concerns among fiscal conservatives about government overreach and unchecked spending. The new levy imposes a $0.011 per kilowatt-hour charge on all electricity consumed by these facilities, which is projected to generate up to $600 million annually for state coffers. While […]
- Department of Environmental Quality asks Virginians how to best engage environmental justice communities during permitting process
When the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reviews permits for proposed projects that would impact water, air, or land, the agency must consider whether projects would be in or near environmental justice communities, areas that are low-income or whose residents are mostly people of color who experience a disproportionate rate of environmental harm. Now, state […]
- Balancing Growth and Community Impacts Through Cost-Effective Infrastructure
Loudoun County and broader Northern Virginia face escalating demands for high-voltage transmission infrastructure to support the region’s dense concentration of data centers. Dominion Energy has advanced several projects, including elements of the Loudoun Reliability Loop linking the Aspen, Golden, Mars, and Wishing Star substations near Ashburn. These lines, operating at 500 and 230 kilovolts, ar
- Supervisor Mike Turner for Closed-Loop Water Mandates as Data Centers Expand in Virginia
During a recent public session, an expert addressed the necessity of mandating closed-loop water systems for data centers to reduce effects on local communities. The presentation focused on how such systems could limit water consumption associated with cooling processes in these facilities. This comes as the number of data centers continues to increase. References were […]
- Data centers want to build their own gas turbines. Would that skirt state renewable energy laws?
Virginia’s surging energy demands require more power generation infrastructure to be built, a slow process that’s delaying new data centers waiting to be connected to the grid. Dominion Energy, the state’s largest utility, has an estimated 70 gigawatts worth of projects in their queue that need more power sources online before they can link to […]
- Virginia shoppers set to save as sales tax holiday returns this weekend
Virginia’s sales tax holiday begins on Friday and runs through Sunday, offering deals on qualifying school supplies, clothing and footwear sales tax. Certain emergency preparedness items also qualify. The sales tax holiday starts Aug. 7 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m., and could save consumers 5.3% to 7% on total costs. […]
- After years of effort, Chesapeake Bay-specific menhaden population study gets funding
With new state dollars granted by the General Assembly by way of a budget amendment from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, scientists and lawmakers plan to examine the menhaden population inside the Chesapeake Bay, the culmination of years of legislative efforts. The data will be essential to determine whether updated conservation standards and catch limits for the […]
- Virginia Budget Adds $600 Million Data Center Tax Amid Continued State Overspending
Virginia lawmakers have passed a new state budget that introduces a first-of-its-kind electricity consumption tax on data centers, raising serious questions about fiscal responsibility and government overspending. Taking effect on July 1, 2026, the provision levies a fee of 1.1 cents per kilowatt-hour on electricity consumed by these massive technology hubs. The new tax is […]
- Manassas Park Faces Steep Utility Rate Increases Amid Enterprise Fund Shortfalls
Officials in Manassas Park are grappling with stark financial warnings regarding the future of the city utility systems and enterprise funds. Consultants recently presented a sobering financial outlook indicating that severe enterprise fund shortfalls could require massive revenue increases in the near future. During a presentation on June 16, 2026, financial experts informed the local […]
- Virginia Implements Landmark Energy Consumption Tax on Data Centers to Protect Taxpayers and the Grid
Virginia lawmakers have finalized a groundbreaking state budget that introduces a first-in-the-nation electricity consumption tax targeting the rapidly expanding data center industry. This new fiscal policy levies a tax of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on all electricity consumed by these massive technology hubs operating within the Commonwealth. The measure is projected to generate a substantial $600
- Officials push for transparency on testing around Shoosmith Landfill
Local, state, and federal officials held a closed-door meeting on July 1 to discuss the next steps for managing Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield, which is leaking 50,000 gallons a day of toxic leachate and is poised to spur an “environmental catastrophe,” Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, said. Sen. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, on Wednesday stated on Twitter […]
- Governor Abigail Spanberger calls for voluntary water conservation
This post was originally published on this site. The latest update by the Drought Monitoring Task Force of Virginia shows that Southside Virginia is still under a drought alert despite recent rain. Governor Abigail Spanberger is encouraging Virginians to take voluntary and commonsense steps to conserve and reduce water use. Abigail Spanberger encourages Virginians take […]
- Do data centers impact our physical health? Studies are few and far between.
Data centers fuel the ever-growing demand for social media, artificial intelligence and streaming services, allowing people to access a plethora of entertainment options and streamline everyday tasks. And their numbers are growing — another 80 proposed projects cataloged by the Data Center Proposal Tracker would more than double the current 71 active sites in the […]
- PJM gets green light to push data centers onto back-up power during heat wave
The nation’s largest electricity grid — which includes Maryland, Washington D.C, and a dozen other states — received a green light from the Trump administration on Tuesday to require data centers and other large customers to turn on back-up generators during this week’s heatwave. The order, signed by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, allows […]
- How Virginia became the world’s data center capital and how it’s going
Demand for internet access and electronic storage has grown alongside digital technology itself. At the center of that growth are the energy infrastructure and data centers that governments and companies began developing in Northern Virginia in the late 20th century. Today, the region houses the world’s largest concentration of data centers, making Virginia the nation’s […]
- Hindu Art at the Met Gala? It was a Whole Minute!
The theme of this year’s Met Gala was “Fashion Is Art.” It was fascinating to see Hindu artistic tradition make its way onto those iconic steps, from the visual worlds of Raja Ravi Varma and Pichwai to Kalamkari and other Hindu traditions. You probably did too if you grew up with any of these! Raja […]