LTE by Susan Lee Feathers, CCAN Action Fund volunteer from Virginia Beach, originally published on the Virginia Pilot.

I have spent my life watching Virginia Beach grow and change. My hope is our younger generations will inherit a community with clean air, reliable water and the natural beauty that makes this city home. But that dream is being threatened by decisions made for corporate gain. This is why I was encouraged when the Virginia Beach City Council decided to consider zoning restrictions that would prohibit large-scale data centers.

These massive facilities can bring constant noise, enormous energy demand, dirty diesel backup generators and added strain on our electric grid and local resources. They are not compatible with the character of Virginia Beach or with the healthy, livable future our children and grandchildren deserve.

The recent DEQ report on the state of the Potomac Aquifer is further reason to not overdraw precious fresh water supply.

We need our elected leaders to follow through on the commitment they made: Protect Virginia Beach from industrial-scale data centers before they are allowed to reshape our neighborhoods.

I am grateful that the council recently enacted a temporary 12-month pause on data center development. Now it must turn that into a permanent, clear and enforceable ban. Our future generations are watching and so are we.

LTE by Susan Lee Feathers, CCAN Action Fund volunteer from Virginia Beach, originally published on the Virginia Pilot.