Since the General Assembly began its 2024 session, the newly-opened General Assembly office building and the Capitol have seen frenetic activity, day in and day out. Many bills that were introduced in January have now seen numerous amendments and text changes, with some being passed over and others being voted out of committee and onto the House or Senate floor for action.
Regional, State and National
PEC joins with partner organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground corridor and Northern Virginia counties.
Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition
This growing coalition is made up of more than 50 environmental, conservation, historic preservation, and climate advocacy groups, as well as representatives of communities and neighborhoods across the state of Virginia.
Together, we are urging localities to adopt strong local protections and pushing for our state lawmakers to require transparency around and track the cumulative effects of data center development on Virginia’s electrical grid, water resources, air quality, and land conservation efforts, and to institute several common-sense regulatory and rate-making reforms for the industry.
It is thanks to the work of this coalition in spreading the word, mobilizing public support, and working directly in communities that we are starting to see real progress and reform at the local and state level. We encourage you to learn more about the threat of data centers on our communities and natural environment in Virginia at www.pecva.org/datacenters. Also check out the many resources available on the coalition partner webpages below.
Interested in joining the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition, or have more questions?
Coalition Members
Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley
American Battlefield Trust
Center for Biological Diversity
Chesapeake Bay Program
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Chesapeake Legal Alliance
Citizens for Fauquier County
Clean Virginia
Climate & Clean Energy Working Group of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Coalition to Protect Prince William County
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
Coalition to Save Culpeper
Crow’s Nest Research Center
Data and Society
Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
Friends of the Rappahannock
Goose Creek Association
Henrico Conservation Action Network
HOA Roundtable
The Journey Through Hallowed Ground
Loudoun Climate Project
Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy
Manassas Battlefield Trust
Maryland Legislative Coalition – Climate Justice Wing
Moms Clean Air Force
National Parks Conservation Association
Nature Forward
Northern Virginia Bird Alliance
The Piedmont Environmental Council
Potomac Conservancy
Preservation Virginia
Prince William Conservation Alliance
Protect Catlett
Protect Fauquier
Rappahannock Tribe
Save BrenMar Coalition
Save Rural Loudoun
Scenic America
Sierra Club Virginia Chapter
Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action
Virginia Conservation Network
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
Virginia Native Plant Society
Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area
Waterkeepers Chesapeake
…and more, including 20+ HOA and community representatives
Contact
Julie Bolthouse
Director of Land Use
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7042
2024 General Assembly Begins
As you’ve probably noticed from an uptick in news out of Richmond, the Virginia General Assembly kicked off this Wednesday, Jan. 10.
Conservation Community Priorities for the 2024 General Assembly
With the many issues facing Virginia throughout the upcoming session, PEC staff will work with VCN and other allies to testify before the legislature, speak about budget priorities and amendments, and help lead with our strategic plan as our guide.
Power Surge: Data center boom leads to expansive transmission proposals
We must address the booming data center growth in our state that is requiring unprecedented expansions of our energy grid and hindering our ability to get off of fossil fuels.
Winter 2023 Piedmont View
In this issue: a 2024 General Assembly preview; this year’s photo contest winners; a look at how PEC is bringing distributed solar to farms in the Piedmont; PEC staffer profiles, Out & About; and more.
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission Authorizes Data Center Study
On Dec. 11, 2023, the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission passed a resolution authorizing a robust study into recent and expected trends within the data center industry.
Prince William Board to Vote on World’s Largest Data Center Proposal Dec. 12
Prince William County’s planning staff and the Planning Commission have recommended denial of the Digital Gateway rezonings.
Resources from the Hillsboro Town Hall on Transmission Lines and Data Centers – Nov. 30, 2023
On Thursday, Nov. 30, PEC hosted more than 150 people in Hillsboro to discuss transmission line and data center proposals in Loudoun.
Recording: General Assembly Preview
On Saturday, Dec. 2, over 450 advocates banded together at Virginia Conservation Network’s 13 in-person Regional Watch Parties across the state or tuned in virtually to “preview” the critical environmental legislative action upcoming in the 2024 General Assembly.