Gigaland Application Withdrawn: Our Community’s Voice Was Heard!

Posted on by Evelyn Eichorn

This text was taken from an email alert sent out on August 29, 2025. Sign up for email alerts ➝

Map of the proposed Gigaland data center project, next to homes in the Meadows of Remington residential neighborhood. Source: Plat from application overlaid onto Google Earth.

Dear Supporter,

This is my first email to you as a PEC staff member and a 40-year Fauquier County resident. My husband and I moved here from Michigan, made our home here and have chosen to stay here. From the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and rolling agricultural lands, to the forests and diverse wildlife, to the cultural and historical resources, to our neighbors and friends, Fauquier County is home.

I am impacted by major development projects, as are you. I’ve talked with many of you and have shared what brings us together: Our love for Fauquier County.

Today I am writing to you with some great news, but tempered with a note of caution. The developers for the proposed Gigaland data center project in Remington have officially withdrawn their application. This means the scheduled Sept. 11 Fauquier County Board of Supervisors public hearing has been canceled, and the original proposal will not be considered for approval.

This is a victory and a testament to the power of civic engagement. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to write letters, attend public meetings, and voice their concerns. Your dedication and engagement were instrumental in this outcome. In addition, we appreciate the concerted efforts of our many partner organizations, including Citizens for Fauquier County, Protect Fauquier, Protect Remington and Protect Catlett. The developers’ decision to withdraw the application is a direct result of the strong community opposition that made it clear they did not have the support needed for a “yes” vote from the Board.

However, the developers of Gigaland have stated their intention to submit a new, revised application in the future that could be as early as January. They are currently working on a scaled-down proposal with reductions in square footage, number of substations, and building height. This new proposal will have to go through the full review process, including a staff review, Planning Commission public hearing, and Board of Supervisors public hearing and vote.

The Work Continues

There are four proposed data center campuses in Remington: Gigaland (~600MW energy needed), SamX (~225MW), Convergent (~240MW) and Remington Innovation Center (~600-800MW). The Remington Technology Park (~600MW) was approved and is being built. Map compiled by PEC.

We remain deeply concerned about the impacts of data centers on our county and region. While a scaled-down proposal may address some concerns, the fundamental issues with data centers — impacts on our communities and our air, water, land and historic resources — remain.

We have similar concerns about potential impacts from other data centers proposed in southern Fauquier — for example, the proposed Convergent Technology Park data center campus, which will likely come before the Board later this fall. In the coming months, we will keep you informed of any new developments and how you can help. 

In the meantime, now is still a great time to share the resources we’ve created to help people understand Gigaland’s potential impacts:

Watch and share our new Gigaland video on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

I hope we can work together to retain the natural beauty of Fauquier, continue to build strong communities and pursue smart, sensible investments that allow the Remington and Fauquier economies and their residents to thrive.

Thank you for your support on this important issue that affects the safety, health, and quality of life of Fauquier County residents. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I look forward to talking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Woman with short brown hair and bangs looks toward the camera in front of a green floral backdrop

Evelyn Eichorn
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Fauquier County
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7045

P.S. The fight to ensure a smarter digital future for Virginia is broader than any one data center proposal in Fauquier. That’s why PEC has launched a new, statewide campaign: Virginians for a Smarter Digital Future. This campaign is designed to give all Virginians the resources and information they need to advocate for a smart, transparent approach to further data center development. It’s about making sure every citizen understands the full facts – not just what big tech wants them to believe.

Through this campaign, we will continue to advocate for transparency, state oversight, protections for families and businesses, incentives for efficiency, and mitigation for the impacts of data centers and their energy infrastructure.

Learn more about the campaign at https://www.smarterdigitalvirginia.com/.