Poll: Virginia residents make it clear where they stand on data centers

We all use our phones, so the explosion in need for massive data centers, it’s our fault, but we’re also right to be upset at how we’re just letting these data centers go up with no concern for local and environmental impacts, and that we’re giving the owners big tax breaks that could be going to other, more pressing concerns.

A new Public Policy Polling survey of Virginia residents, commissioned by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, has it that 72 percent of us believe the data center industry needs more regulation and oversight.

Which ain’t gonna happen, not anytime soon – not in Virginia, anyway.

The effort led by State Sen. Louise Lucas to get billions in tax exemptions for data centers out of the state budget came up short – both the House of Delegates and State Senate voted today to advance a state budget that does almost nothing to address the data center issue, so, the can is getting kicked down the road, as expected.

“Virginians are tired of their lawmakers providing massive tax breaks to the data center industry without clear consumer, community and clean energy guardrails,” said Virginia LCV Executive Director Michael Town. “The legislature’s proposed deal fails to make meaningful progress on community protections, clean energy and electric rates that voters were promised on the campaign trail.”

To be clear, when I say “almost nothing” is being done on this, I mean, the budget now does include a tiny energy consumption tax on data centers that is expected to raise $600 million a year, which barely makes a dent in the $1.9 billion a year that we give to data center owners in tax breaks.

“This is a compromise proposal — one my administration helped craft — and it builds a strong foundation for further discussions about the future of this industry in Virginia on issues like environmental and community impact,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger crowed, per a statement sent out to the media on Monday.

Between this tiny tax and doing another study, man, state leaders are really listening to us.

From the PPP poll:

• 88 percent believe local governments should not keep secret details about data center projects from the public, despite numerous local officials signing non-disclosure agreements with the industry.
• 71 percent believe that data center construction should be paused if lawmakers decide to study what’s needed to protect ratepayers and the environment.
• 65 percent of respondents said they would oppose a large data center being built in their community.
• 59 percent believe that data centers should not be allowed to power their facilities with on-site polluting fuels like methane gas or diesel generators.
• 54 percent, per the PPP poll, said they would be “more likely” to support a project that was required to protect water and land resources and required to be powered by clean energy.
• 51 percent “think guardrails should be enacted now,” while only 31 percent believe there should be a six-month study on guardrails.

“The public wants their government to act now, and protect them from the damage this industry is doing to their wallets and their communities, said Blair St. Ledger-Olson, the director of advocacy and campaigns at Virginia LCV. “If the Virginia legislature delays action, we call on Gov. Spanberger to stand up for the people and pause all data center permitting until lawmakers enact reasonable and meaningful standards and controls.”

That ain’t gonna happen, either.