The Piedmont News is an email digest of top news stories about land use, conservation, energy and environmental matters of relevance to the region. We hope you’ll share these with someone else who might find them interesting.
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Atlanta Journal & Constitution
(June 25, 2025)
Construction crews and cranes are a common presence in Northern Virginia communities in the flight path of Dulles International Airport, filling in virtually every undeveloped gap. But the people who live here don’t have to wonder what’s being built — it’s almost always the same thing.
Cardinal News
(June 24, 2025)
This fall, you’re going to hear a lot about the Virginia Clean Economy Act, the 2020 law that mandates a carbon-free electric grid by 2050.
This article quotes PEC president Chris Miller and PEC director of land use Julie Bolthouse.
The New York Times
(June 23, 2025)
The unspoiled land in question includes Tongass National Forest in Alaska, North America’s largest temperate rainforest; Reddish Knob in the Shenandoah Mountains, one of the highest points in Virginia; and millions of acres of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho.
CNBC
(June 21, 2025)
Electricity prices rose 4.5% in the past year, according to the consumer price index for May 2025 — nearly double the inflation rate for all goods and services. And, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, are on track to outpace inflation through 2026.
Fauquier Now
(June 20, 2025)
The Fauquier County Planning Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday night to recommend denial of a proposal for a data center campus near Remington.
Sean Tubbs
(June 25, 2025)
Charlottesville’s new development code is intended to encourage the construction of new places to live across the city. However, there are still a few remaining large-scale residential projects being reviewed under the old rules. The landscaping and lighting plans for 1185 Seminole Trail don't show any integration with a proposed mixed-use development north of the Albemarle County border.
Sean Tubbs
(June 23, 2025)
A concept plan for the future of Oak Lawn, a 5.2 acre property bought by UVA in 2023, was shared with members of the Fifeville neighborhood during a June 18 webinar.
Charlottesville Tomorrow
(June 20, 2025)
The City of Charlottesville will be revising its short-term rental ordinance, and is conducting an online survey to better understand what people think. The 14-question survey takes between 5 and 10 minutes to complete, and includes both multiple choice and open-answer questions. It closes June 30.
Sean Tubbs
(June 18, 2025)
Steven Pedigo of Resonance, the firm hired to conduct the work, briefed county supervisors on a vision statement that calls for Albemarle to “lead the way in Virginia’s next innovation economy.” He said existing strengths include the University of Virginia and the county’s investment in the Rivanna Futures project.
The Winchester Star
(June 25, 2025)
As of 1 July, Clarke County Senior Planner and Zoning Administrator Jeremy Camp will take on responsibility for reviewing and approving subdivision plats and site development plans, stripping the county's Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, as well as the Berryville Area Development Authority (BADA), of those responsibilities.
The Winchester Star
(June 19, 2025)
No data centers will be coming to a business park planned near Double Tollgate, or anywhere else in Clarke County for that matter.
Byrd Street
(June 23, 2025)
Ecology, biology, property rights, history and nostalgia all came to the fore during a public meeting Tuesday, June 17, at Orange County High School to discuss the eventual removal of the historic Rapidan Dam.
Fauquier Now
(June 26, 2025)
If approved by the Board of Supervisors, the utility-scale facility would be built adjacent to Dominion’s existing Remington power plant.
Fauquier Now
(June 24, 2025)
Warrenton’s Commission on Open and Transparent Government received an update from special counsel Whitson Robinson on his investigation into the Amazon data center special use permit granted in February 2023, the Warrenton Village Center project and the Arrington Voluntary Settlement Agreement.
Fauquier Times
(June 24, 2025)
While the headline of June’s land use decisions was the Gigaland Data Center Campus proposed near Remington, he county planning board also considered a 325-seat church application, expansion of a new festival, and an application to build Fauquier's first battery storage facility.
The Piedmont Journal Recorder
(June 24, 2025)
Moving forward, rooftop and ground-mounted solar would no longer require a Special Use Permit (SUP), but grid-scale solar still would require a SUP.
Loudoun Now
(June 25, 2025)
Gravel roads are often a controversial topic in Loudoun with some residents complaining about potholes, dust and deterioration, while others view Loudoun’s approximately 250 miles of unpaved roads as a unique and valuable characteristic of the county.
Loudoun Now
(June 25, 2025)
The prior council last summer adopted a resolution supporting the statewide program designed to help towns facilitate economic growth and sustainability in their downtown areas by preserving their unique characteristics.
Loudoun Now
(June 20, 2025)
The town’s Zoning Ordinance currently requires subdivisions with more than 20 lots provide open space in the neighborhood, with 50% of it planned as “useable” to accommodate ballfields, multipurpose courts or other active recreation uses. The changes would remove the 50% active recreation requirement.
Loudoun Now
(June 19, 2025)
Eighteen months after Mike Littman first presented a vision for a partnership between the then-newly founded Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance and the county, supervisors this week approved a $2 million program to remove invasive vegetation.
The Piedmont Journal Recorder
(June 24, 2025)
Nineteen Oak Park residents want their real estate taxes raised. That’s the assumption of at least one Madison County Planning Commission member after hearing neighbors speak during public comment at Wednesday night’s workshop.
The Piedmont Journal Recorder
(June 25, 2025)
VDOT will hold a design public hearing on Wednesday, July 9 on a proposed project to improve safety along Route 601 (Flat Run Road) in eastern Orange County.
Byrd Street
(June 23, 2025)
Ecology, biology, property rights, history and nostalgia all came to the fore during a public meeting Tuesday, June 17, at Orange County High School to discuss the eventual removal of the historic Rapidan Dam.
Prince William Times
(June 25, 2025)
Less than a half hour before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors were set to begin their afternoon meeting on Tuesday, STACK Infrastructure asked the board to delay a vote on their application to rezone 58 acres for data centers.
The site, currently zoned for agricultural use, is located near the intersection of Linton Hall and Nokesville roads.
STACK wants to build two, 75-foot-tall data centers on the property. The The board will hold a public hearing and vote on the two data centers Sept. 9
Prince William Times
(June 21, 2025)
Gainesville residents’ fight to undo the massive Prince William Digital Gateway, a project that plans up to 37 data centers at the edge of Manassas National Battlefield Park, won two major victories when Judge Kimberly Irving denied a request to dismiss the case and ruled that the plaintiffs have “standing” to proceed.
Fairfax County News Center
(June 20, 2025)
A 5-megawatt solar array, planned for completion in Spring 2026, will cover 37 acres of the closed I-95 landfill, converting previously unusable space into a project that benefits all residents. The array, which will generate enough energy to power about 1,000 homes, could save the county $12 million and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 136,000 metric tons over the 30-year partnership .
Culpeper Star-Exponent
(June 24, 2025)
Shenandoah National Park will transition to a cashless fee system – only mobile or electronic payments for entrance and campground fees will be accepted. In addition to accepting debit and credit cards payments, visitors can pay in advance at recreation.gov for entrance, campground and permitting fees, according to a release.
Richmond BizSense
(June 26, 2025)
The county Board of Supervisors unanimously decided Tuesday to delay voting on the proposed Roxbury Technology Park. The final decision now rests with the supervisors, who faced dozens of concerned Charles City County residents Tuesday night.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(June 25, 2025)
Louisa County is selling its 697-acre Shannon Hill Regional Business Park to Colorado-based data center developer, EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, the second major data center firm to say it’s coming to the rural county in less than a month.
Cardinal News
(June 25, 2025)
When Botetourt County announced Tuesday that Google — yes, that Google — has bought 312 acres in the county’s business park for what was described as the first hyperscale data center project in the western part of the state, a room full of people cheered.
Charlottesville Community Engagement
(June 25, 2025)
On Tuesday, the county announced that the 697-acre Shannon Hill Regional Business Park has been sold to a developer and operator of data centers. Edgecore Digital Infrastructure will pay $42 million for the site according to an information release. The Arizona-based company is currently building two data center campuses in Ashburn in Northern Virginia
Henrico Citizen
(June 24, 2025)
Henrico County will begin restoring the Hidden Creek Park stream in Eastern Henrico in July, after the county’s board approved an $838,000 contract last month. The restoration will recreate the natural pattern of the creek to prevent erosion as part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. The MS4 is a Virginia Department of Environmental Quality program designed to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.
Virginia Mercury
(June 26, 2025)
While some may have lamented the amount of rain Virginia experienced this spring, those soggy days and others to come are helping save crops as the temperature rises. The state’s soil is very moist which helps keep crops alive, even though rainy days may make it difficult for farmers to get tractors through their fields. The National Weather Service in Wakefield predicts showers will fall across most regions of the state this weekend and some days next week.
Virginia Dept of Conservation & Recreation
(June 26, 2025)
Historic funding for the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program (VACS) will empower farmers and protect water quality.
Radio IQ
(June 24, 2025)
Congress is still considering an amendment in President Doanld Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” that would limit states’ abilities to regulate artificial intelligence. It’s a controversial move according to several Virginia elected officials, even as the Senate parliamentarian Okay’d its inclusion over the weekend despite Senate rule concerns.
Fauquier Now
(June 24, 2025)
The Drought Coordination Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has lifted the regional Drought Watch put into effect last summer.
The watch went into effect last July 29. Late-spring rains and cooler temperatures contributed to improved water supplies, COG said in a news release.
Royal Examiner
(June 21, 2025)
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is accepting applications for the 15th Conservation Police Training Academy, with training set to begin in February 2026. Applications will be accepted through July 11. From patrolling in boats and trucks to conducting complex investigations, DWR Conservation Police Officers (CPOs) play a vital role in protecting Virginia’s natural resources.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
(June 20, 2025)
Regulations governing large-scale solar projects in Virginia were finalized and went into effect Wednesday, June 18, establishing standards for mitigation when a solar project causes significant impacts to farms and trees.
WTOP News
(June 20, 2025)
Virginia is home to over a third of the data centers worldwide. These energy hungry facilities have brought business to the commonwealth, but communities are seeing the impact of the electricity and water usage hit their utility bills. Now, many localities are grappling with how to regulate them.
Epoch Times
(June 25, 2025)
Most U.S. households should brace for slightly higher electricity bills in the coming months, according to a new Department of Energy outlook. The agency’s June 23 brief puts the average summer bill at $178—about $5 more than last year—despite forecasts for marginally cooler weather and a 1 percent dip in air-conditioning demand.
Epoch Times
(June 24, 2025)
From Georgia to Oregon, New England to New Mexico, data center projects are drawing opposition in local government hearings by residents concerned about the voracious demand for electricity, water consumption, and noise. Critics also argue that data centers don’t produce the jobs other land uses generate.
The New York Times
(June 24, 2025)
On 1,200 acres of cornfield in Indiana, Amazon is building one of the largest computers ever for work with Anthropic, an artificial intelligence start-up.
Utility Dive
(June 24, 2025)
The emergency order will help reduce the risk of blackouts in the Southeast brought on by high temperatures, the department said.
Reuters
(June 24, 2025)
The U.S. Senate is working on adjustments to a residential solar energy incentive that had been eliminated in previous versions of the Republicans' "One Big Beautiful Bill," Senator Kevin Cramer said on Tuesday. Cramer, a Republican who serves on the Senate Energy Committee, told reporters that "there is work being done" on rooftop solar as part of discussions around fixing the language on the future of tax credits for clean energy projects.
The Wall Street Journal
(June 23, 2025)
New York intends to build a large nuclear-power facility, the first major new U.S. plant undertaken in more than 15 years and a big test of the administration’s promise to expedite permitting for such projects.
Tom's Hardware
(June 23, 2025)
Intel's decision to delay the launch of its Ohio semiconductor facility, once called Silicon Heartland, has left AEP Ohio with completed but idle power infrastructure. The utility company, which built a $95 million substation specifically to meet Intel's expected power needs, must wait years before it can start generating a return on its investment.
The Washington Post
(June 23, 2025)
Breakthroughs in fusion have triggered a frenzied race to harness a clean energy source that has eluded scientists for decades. Now, they are being courted by governors, billionaires and tech behemoths eager to get in on the ground floor of what they see as a transformative, carbon-free fusion economy.
The New York Times
(June 23, 2025)
Carl Pope, former executive director of the Sierra Club, expresses regret for largely ignoring methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to focus on carbon dioxide, the most prevalent heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere and a byproduct of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Federation of American Scientists
(June 23, 2025)
American communities that have historically relied on coal to power their local economies have an enormous opportunity to repurpose abandoned coal mines and infrastructure to site data centers alongside clean power generation.
Data Center Dynamics
(June 20, 2025)
The decision was taken as a means to avoid a “grid reliability crisis," according to FERC chairman Mark Christie, and support the growth of data centers across the country.
Yahoo Finance
(June 20, 2025)
Data center capital expenditures increased 53% year over year to $134 billion during the first three months of 2025, according to Dell’Oro Group research published Tuesday. The spike was driven by a surge in hyperscaler spending on AI infrastructure, particularly Nvidia Blackwell GPUs and custom accelerators, the research firm said.
Your Undivided Attention (Podcast)
(June 26, 2025)
Tech leaders promise that AI automation will usher in an age of unprecedented abundance: cheap goods, universal high income, and freedom from the drudgery of work. But even if AI delivers material prosperity, will that prosperity be shared? And what happens to human dignity if our labor and contributions become obsolete?
Reuters
(June 23, 2025)
Utilities in the developed world are stressing over how to keep up with demand from data centres and artificial intelligence searches. But globally, keeping people cool is likely to be a much bigger drain on electricity grids and a more pressing power sector challenge. Worldwide, data centers and air conditioners are both projected to triple their electricity use over the coming decade, and will severely test utilities that are already under strain from aging grids and lengthy backlogs for new supply.
