Spitting Into the Wind

  Remarks to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Northern Regional Office: February 27, 2023 My name is Bill Wright and I live in Gainesville. DEQ's website states its mission “is to protect and enhance the environment of Virginia in order to promote the health and well-being of the Commonwealth's citizens, residents, and visitors in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.” Most of us are here today questioning how your mission squares with the accommodation you are proposing to permit a single wealthy industry to hazard our health and well-being. My skepticism about DEQ’s blind eye toward data center growth goes back some time.   On November 21, 2021, I asked regional director Tom Faha whether he intended to respond to a requested review of the Prince William Digital Gateway proposal. Despite the unprecedented magnitude of this project, Mr. Faha replied that: “Such proposals are considered local zoning matters and outside of the agency’s regulato...

  Remarks to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors: February 7, 2023 My name is Bill Wright and I live in Gainesville.   I oppose the Devlin Technology Park.   Another bold masterstroke you can be proud of Communities in the Bristow area are facing the prospect of being surrounded by the relentless onslaught of data center development.   I’m talking about the already approved 179-acre Hunter property adjacent to Piney Grove Elementary School and the Amberleigh Station subdivision.   It is being developed by the Dutch Yondr Group for 11 data centers .   Can you imagine what these residents will be enduring during construction and upon completion? So tonight, you propose to twist that dagger by adding the 270-acre Devlin Technology Park adjacent to Chris Yung Elementary School and several residential communities.   How would YOU like to have a “park” like this next to your house or your kid’s school?   You don’t even know this proje...