OPINION: Are Data Centers the Best Solution?
By Julie Kay
GUEST COMMENTATOR
What do the following have in common: The Wizard of Oz, a silver bullet, the Gold Rush, and data centers? They promise one idea will fix all monetary problems being experienced. Do they fulfill their promise? In these cases, the answer is a firm “no.”
The Fredericksburg City Council is certainly trying to sell the data centers in an unreasonable less-than-two-month time frame with the stated goal of infusing huge amounts of money and false claims of high-paying job opportunities into our area, despite numerous known facts and the unknowns of the future. Citizens are filling council chambers in opposition of the project itself, asking for more information and an extended timeline. And it isn’t happening.
The facts city council members are sharing are straight out of developer sales books rather than reality. Recently the stock market fell quickly when information about a system the Chinese are developing that will probably make data centers obsolete in a few years. Questions are being asked by the citizens of Fredericksburg. What is the rush? Why, when the Virginia legislature study (JLARC) highly recommends that data centers only be built in industrial areas away from schools and neighborhoods, is our city council planning to build a data center nestled in neighborhoods? Why are the environmentalists howling about the continued projects that are reducing our tree canopy at an alarming rate despite the commitment to increase our canopy that reduces heat zones, improves air quality and even reduce stress? Why is the city continuing to resist using the Inflation Reduction Act's millions of dollars available to delay any work on their 2019 commitment to 100% clean energy for the municipality by 2035 and the entire city a few years later? Why, when the Rappahannock is now a stream during the summer, do they think that there is enough water for such a project? Are they complacent with the fact that Possum Point Power Station that uses coal is reopening after years of hard work to get it closed?
This city council is recommending that we destroy what makes our “itty bitty city” so special. Their inattention to, and their decisions made, have many citizens in Fredericksburg no longer trusting what the council and city manager say. We are being rushed into submission and our conservation and environmental efforts to reduce our carbon footprint are being ignored. They are very quiet when it comes to the fact they are planning a second phase that would destroy the Hylton property with its old forest and wetlands, meaning huge transmission lines would be necessary along Cowen Blvd and all of its neighborhoods, including Hugh Mercer Elementary.
Concerned citizens hosted a forum last week with a panel that included the mayor, data center experts, the Friends of the Rappahannock, and an environmental advocate. Over 140 people were in attendance and asked great questions. Why isn't such a forum being offered by the city that allows answers rather than meetings that only allow a minimum number of people to vent with no answers given in small city council chambers? Residents who live in Jubilation, Great Oaks, Snowden Hills, and many others especially need to have the chance to have their say.
There are many options available to increase our lovely city without massive development and scarring of the river and land. I lived in Austin in the 1980's when most of the city buildings were empty. The wise leaders looked at their strengths - they were a clean air city long before others, focusing the beauty of the area and its nature, the arts and music, food, and their joy of community. They looked at how they could be different from the oil barons of Houston and the developers of Dallas. They succeeded and are now considered one of the best cities in the United States. Fredericksburg would draw new residents if it dared to say “no” to data centers.
We in Fredericksburg have history, natural resources, and a charming downtown to draw visitors; we now need to focus on affordable housing, improving our schools, and meeting the commitment to clean energy and a larger tree canopy. Data Center complexes are not the answer; the Doomsday Clock scientists from all over the world came out last week and credited data centers as a key reason the clock was moved two ticks towards the end of life on earth. Hard work, creativity and trust between its citizens and its government are the true answers.
Use your voices. Let your city council members know that Data Center development does not belong in Fredericksburg. Let your state representatives know they need to do their jobs writing bills curtailing data centers in Virginia to protect our earth.
Julie Kay lives in Fredericksburg and is a trained leader with Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project.
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
The FXBG Advance cuts through the talking points to deliver both incisive and informative news about the issues, people, and organizations that daily affect your life. And we do it in a multi-partisan format that has no equal in this region. Over the past year, our reporting was:
First to break the story of Stafford Board of Supervisors dismissing a citizen library board member for “misconduct,” without informing the citizen or explaining what the person allegedly did wrong.
First to explain falling water levels in the Rappahannock Canal.
First to detail controversial traffic numbers submitted by Stafford staff on the Buc-ee’s project
Our media group also offers the most-extensive election coverage in the region and regular columnists like:
And our newsroom is led by the most-experienced and most-awarded journalists in the region — Adele Uphaus (Managing Editor and multiple VPA award-winner) and Martin Davis (Editor-in-Chief, 2022 Opinion Writer of the Year in Virginia and more than 25 years reporting from around the country and the world).
For just $8 a month, you can help support top-flight journalism that puts people over policies.
Your contributions 100% support our journalists.
Help us as we continue to grow!
This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”