LTE by Natalie Pien, CCAN Action Fund Volunteer from Leesburg, VA, initially published in Loudoun Now.
I am a 40+ year resident of Loudoun County; a retired Loudoun County public school teacher providing over 1,000 students science literacy; and a grandmother to three very young girls. All young people deserve a livable environment. I am deeply concerned that they won’t.
Loudoun County is ground zero for Virginia’s “data center alley” and I see our neighborhoods filled with pollution from the fossil fuels that are powering these facilities. That’s why I strongly support House Bill 897 to ensure that data centers only receive Virginia’s generous $1.6 billion sales and use tax exemption IF they run on clean energy and curb their reliance on diesel backup power.
HB 897 provides a strong incentive for the data center industry to go 100% clean by making sure large data centers are taking steps to mitigate other harmful effects, like local air pollution from backup generators, and are sufficiently invested in environmental management and energy efficiency measures. These are reasonable expectations in exchange for taxpayer-funded incentives. Without these conditions, we’re effectively subsidizing pollution and grid strain, costs that communities like mine bear while enormous corporations reap the rewards. HB 897 puts accountability behind the incentives, ensuring that only the companies doing their part for Virginia’s future benefit from public dollars.
HB 897 would be by far the strongest legislation in the country to push the industry to clean power. This is a common-sense, forward-looking bill that will make Virginia a leader in clean technology while protecting the communities living in the shadow of data center development. Don’t our communities and young people deserve protection? I urged my Senator to pass HB 897 in its current, strong form. You should too! For your senator’s contact information: whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/
LTE by Natalie Pien, CCAN Action Fund Volunteer from Leesburg, VA, initially published in Loudoun Now.
