A controversial data project that was set for rural parts of Northern Virginia is on hold after a decision from a state judge.
The long-running fight has provided a unique chance for elected officials from both parties to celebrate.
The Prince William Digital Gateway aimed to build over 35 data centers near the Civil War battlefields around Manassas. It would have brought hundreds of millions in local revenue, but also massive infrastructure projects to connect the water and power-hungry facilities to the rest of the world.
The pushback from residents was so intense it led both Republicans and Democrats to oppose the project. So, when a Prince William County Court found Thursday afternoon the county failed to give proper notice for public hearings on votes for the project, Democratic state Senator Danica Roem was overwhelmed by memories of Republican County Supervisor and data center critic Bob Weir. Weir passed away last year.
“The last conversation I had with him before he died, he predicted the Gateway would lose in court over the public notice issue and he was vindicated today,” Roem told Radio IQ.
Compass Datacenters, one of the companies behind the project, told the Prince William Times they were still considering their options.
But Republican Delegate Ian Lovejoy, who also celebrated the defeat of the project, said it’s bound to lead to law changes when the General Assembly meets next year, especially as data centers are set to spike energy demand and costs.
“The general assembly will have no choice but to act and start making decisions regarding grid integrity, power consumption and one way or another curtailing the amount of power data centers are going to need in the next half decade,” Lovejoy said.
Lovejoy and his district neighbor Democrat Josh Thomas - who also praised the judge's ruling - both have their House seats up for grabs in the fall - and data centers are already a frequent topic on the campaign trail.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
