The recent ruling by the Virginia Court of Appeals against the Prince William Digital Gateway, in favor of the citizen-backed lawsuits attempting to block it, is another example of the growing grassroots power of Virginians pushing back against uncontrolled data center development.
Cindy Sabato
The Piedmont Environmental Council to Host Annual Bluebell Walk
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) will hold its 23rd Annual Bluebell Walk Sunday, March 29 from 1-3 p.m. along the banks of the Cedar Run at Bonny Brook Farm in Catlett, Virginia.
Press Release: New Study Finds On-Site Power at Virginia Data Center Could Result in $53 Million–$99 Million in Annual Health Damages
A new independent analysis finds that emissions from the Vantage Data Center’s permitted on-site power system in Loudoun County could result in $53 million–$99 million per year in health-related damages, driven primarily by premature mortality as well as respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
Data Center Reform is at the Finish Line: Will the General Assembly Get it Done?
Two important data center reform bills, SB619 and SB339 survived crossover – bringing the General Assembly that much closer to passing real data center reform legislation.
Piedmont Environmental Council remembers Robert Duvall’s advocacy for conservation in the the Virginia Piedmont
“Over the years, Mr. Duvall has been outspoken in his support of efforts to protect and conserve the natural resources and beauty of Fauquier County and the broader region.
Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition in Richmond February 9th to Advocate for Meaningful Data Center Legislation
On Monday, Feb. 9, nearly 200 Virginians from across the state will travel to Richmond to advocate for data center reform legislation as part of the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition’s Lobby Day.
Two Bills with potential to pause data center approvals and plan responsibly for the future
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) supports HB1515, introduced by Delegate Irene Shin last Friday. This bill aligns with PEC’s data center reform efforts to pause approvals of hyperscale data center proposals.
It’s Time for Virginia to Pause Data Center Approvals
Virginia’s energy grid and communities are at a breaking point. Will 2026 finally be the year the Virginia General Assembly takes action to reign in unconstrained data center development with guardrails that ensure a smarter digital future for the state?
The PEC Leadership Felt ‘Round the World
Finally, the world is hearing the alarm that The Piedmont Environmental Council has been sounding for years: that the unconstrained and unregulated explosion of the data center industry is forever changing the face of not only Virginia, but communities around the world.
Press Release: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Should Not Loosen Rules on Data Center Use of Diesel Generators
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has proposed a major change that would allow data centers to run polluting Tier II backup diesel generators during planned outage events, such as during construction projects and grid maintenance, that could last for days or weeks.