1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned Virginia resident regarding the rapid and largely unchecked expansion of data centers across our state, most recently illustrated by Amazon's $427 million purchase of George Washington University's Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn to convert into a data center facility. With Amazon alone having announced plans to spend $35 billion in Virginia on data center infrastructure by 2040, I believe urgent action is needed to protect our communities and environment. My concerns are as follows: Environmental Impact and Water Use: Data centers consume enormous amounts of water for cooling purposes. This water is often discharged back into local waterways at elevated temperatures, with potentially serious consequences for aquatic ecosystems, local water supplies, and public health. Long-term environmental studies on these impacts have not been conducted, and our rivers and communities should not serve as an experiment. I am asking that no new data center construction be permitted without a mandatory, independent environmental impact study — including a full assessment of water usage, thermal discharge into waterways, and long-term ecological effects. Fair Taxation and Utility Costs: Data centers are among the most energy-intensive facilities in existence, yet Virginians are often left subsidizing their power consumption through strained local grids and infrastructure costs. These corporations — among the wealthiest in the world — must pay their fair share. I urge you to pursue legislation that ensures data centers are taxed appropriately and are fully accountable for their electricity consumption, rather than passing those costs onto residents. Community Voice and Zoning Oversight: The pace of data center acquisition and development in Northern Virginia is outrunning meaningful public input. Residents deserve a seat at the table before approvals are granted. I urge you to strengthen zoning review requirements and ensure that community members have a genuine opportunity to weigh in on projects of this scale. Virginia should not become a sacrifice zone for the tech industry's infrastructure ambitions. I urge you to act now — before the environmental and financial burden on our communities becomes irreversible. Thank you for your time and attention to this critical issue.