Hanover Democrats Vote to Oppose New Data Centers in Hanover County
Committee draws sharp contrast with Republican support for industrial-scale data center development.
HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — The Hanover County Democratic Committee voted Sunday to formally oppose the construction and expansion of industrial-scale data centers anywhere in Hanover County, adopting a resolution calling for local officials to protect residents, private property, farmland and the county’s rural character from large-scale data center development.
The resolution establishes opposition to new data centers as an official position of the Hanover County Democratic Committee and calls upon the Hanover County Board of Supervisors to reject new discretionary land-use applications for data centers and adopt the strongest lawful zoning and comprehensive-plan protections available against future development.
“Hanover Democrats believe economic development should benefit the people who live here,” Wendy Brooks, Chair of the Hanover Democratic Committee, said in adopting the resolution. “We should not fundamentally change the character of Hanover County or place new burdens on our residents and infrastructure simply to accommodate industrial-scale data centers.”
The resolution cites concerns about the enormous electrical, water and land requirements associated with large data centers, as well as the substations, transmission infrastructure, backup generators, cooling systems and roads that can accompany them. It also raises concerns about noise, light, emissions, traffic and the effect of industrial development on neighboring homes, farms and businesses.
The Committee also drew a direct contrast over the future of development in Hanover.
“ Republican members of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors have voted to advance and approve industrial-scale data center projects, demonstrating that support for such development has become a policy position of the Hanover County Republican Party,” the resolution states.
The Committee believes Hanover residents deserve a clear alternative.
The resolution calls for economic development that creates substantial permanent employment, supports local businesses, respects surrounding property owners and preserves the qualities that have made Hanover an attractive place to live and raise a family.
The resolution formally calls on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors to adopt a meaningful policy to assess industrial data centers with community input and transparency.
It also calls upon Hanover County to refuse favorable tax treatment, public infrastructure assistance or other governmental incentives for new data centers and demands complete public disclosure of proposed facilities’ electrical and water demands, infrastructure requirements, expected permanent employment, projected public revenues, requested incentives and potential costs to residents.
The Committee further opposes confidential negotiations, piecemeal approvals or accelerated processes that prevent Hanover residents from having a meaningful voice in decisions that could permanently change their communities.
“This is ultimately about who gets to decide what Hanover County becomes,” Brooks stated. “Hanover Democrats choose the people who live here. We choose our neighborhoods, our farms, our natural resources and our quality of life. And we believe Hanover County can grow economically without becoming an industrial data center corridor. “
The resolution concludes by calling on local and state officials of every political affiliation to protect local control, residential utility customers, private property, farmland, natural resources and Hanover County’s community character by opposing new industrial-scale data center construction.
Not one member of the Committee voted against the resolution at Sunday’s meeting.
