SPECIAL ELECTION SECTION - Fredericksburg City Council Candidates Respond to Local Organizations: Part II

Three local organizations queried candidates for City Council. As a public service, the Advance is publishing the candidates' responses to these questions over the next three days.

Editor’s Note: Three local organizations put questions to the Fredericksburg candidates for City Council. As a public service, the Advance is publishing the candidates’ responses this week. Today, the questions put forward by the Sierra Club. Monday were the questions by the Neighborhoods Coalition. And Wednesday will be the questions by the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc.

Ward 1 Candidates

Question: What are the three most critical environmental challenges the city is facing and what steps should the city take on these issues?

David Cropper—Stormwater: Aging infrastructure and heavier rainfall are causing frequent flooding in neighborhoods like Mayfield and downtown. The city must invest in drainage upgrades, green infrastructure, and prioritize flood-prone areas in its capital projects.

Data Center: Data centers can bring economic benefits, but they also raise serious environmental concerns—particularly air, noise, and heat pollution, along with strain on energy and water resources. Backup diesel generators, often used during peak demand or outages, contribute to air pollution. These centers also generate substantial heat, which can affect surrounding areas and increase cooling demands. The City Council must ensure controls are put in place to minimize pollution.

Rappahannock River Protection: The Rappahannock, as well as the Chesapeake Bay, are at risk from runoff from the city and the surrounding region. The city council should enforce buffer zones and support conservation partnerships with other regional leaders and the private sector.

Ken Gantt—Wastewater management – We must modernize infrastructure and align the budget to match the Comprehensive Plan’s priorities.

Loss of green space – Protecting parks and tree canopy while ensuring development includes open space preservation.

Traffic congestion and mobility – Expanding multimodal options to reduce vehicle dependence.

The city should ensure that budget decisions align with Vision 2050 goals so these issues are addressed in practice, not just in planning.

Matt Rowe—One challenge is vehicle emissions, which we can reduce by modernizing the city fleet and improving pedestrian, bike, and transit options.

A second is stormwater runoff, which can be addressed by expanding green infrastructure such as permeable pavement, tree planting, and rain gardens.

A third is energy use in public buildings, where we can invest in efficiency upgrades and solar installations. By tackling these issues, we can lower costs, improve public health, and protect our natural resources while keeping Fredericksburg a clean and livable city.

Question: Are you concerned about the impact of data centers on utility bills and area water resources?

David Cropper—Data centers can bring economic benefits, but they also raise serious environmental concerns—particularly air, noise, and heat pollution, along with strain on energy and water resources. Backup diesel generators, often used during peak demand or outages, contribute to air pollution. These centers also generate substantial heat, which can affect surrounding areas and increase cooling demands. The City Council must ensure controls are put in place to minimize pollution.

Ken Gantt—Yes. Data centers can have significant impacts on energy demand, water use, and neighborhood character. That’s why I support broader community involvement and learning from nearby localities like Loudoun and Stafford. We must put in place strong monitoring and environmental safeguards to ensure data centers are good neighbors and do not place unnecessary burdens on our resources or residents.

Matt Rowe—Yes, it is important to consider how large facilities like data centers impact local resources. That is why the city is being deliberate in where they are allowed and how they operate. In Fredericksburg, data centers will be limited to specific areas and will be required to meet strict environmental standards. Cooling water will come from a dedicated supply of treated wastewater and not the Rappahannock River. These facilities can generate significant tax revenue that helps fund schools and services, but they must do so in a way that respects our local environment.

Ward 2 Candidates

Question: What are the three most important environmental challenges the city is facing and what steps should the city take on these issues?

Joy Crump—Rappahannock River—Fredericksburg must only work with partners who share our commitment to longterm preservation, particularly of the resources already flagged as critical, like the Rappahannock River.

Degradation of Natural Resources—It’s essential that Fredericksburg emphasizes protecting and enhancing our environment. We must employ specific public and private efforts to reach the larger goal of protecting our environment for the future.

Waste–I support a robust waste management and recycling plan. Collecting fees for single use plastic bags, putting a Fat, Oil and Grease protocol into effect, and supporting businesses like Fillagreen helps to keep those issues at our forefront.

Anne Little—Since 2012, Fredericksburg’s tree canopy has fallen over 8%, raising downtown temperatures to 99°F—17 degrees hotter than nearby Caroline County. Vulnerable and low-income residents feel the impact most. Protecting trees isn’t just about beauty, it’s about health and community well-being. Our city needs a robust tree canopy to stay livable and resilient.

A water crisis is slowly developing. We need a regional summit to protect our river for the long term.

Fredericksburg City Council pledged 100% clean, renewable electricity by 2050, but progress is slow. To succeed, the commitment must include clear, realistic, and measurable goals.

Question: Are you concerned about the impact of data centers on utility bills and area water resources?

Joy Crump—Yes, I am.

We are all right to be concerned about the impact of Data Centers on our citizens and our environment. I think it’s important to remember that the area now designated for a data center in Fredericksburg was set to be developed either as housing or as a data center. So I tend to look at some of the key impacts as comparisons of one type of development over the other.

In terms of ongoing use, the plan for the data center has all water for the cooling needs being non-potable (“purple water”). And, the cost for piping that purple water to the data center is borne by the developer. I think it’s key that the “bridging period” where drinking water is used during the development phase is as short as possible. And I support efforts and conversations between the City and the developers to ensure that remains a priority.

Anne Little—The growth of development and data centers in our region is placing tremendous strain on the Rappahannock River, which has been named one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2025. Data Centers could further threaten access to affordable drinking water. City water bills have gone up more than 55% since 2020, and the new $169 million wastewater treatment plant will push them even higher. We need to make sure retirees and families with limited incomes aren’t left struggling under these rising costs.

Ward 3 Candidates

Question: What are the three most important environmental challenges the city is facing and what steps should the city take on these issues?

Susanna Finn—I am concerned about rising severe weather events, especially flooding. New development should proactively include advanced stormwater controls like retention basins, green roofs, and permeable surfaces to minimize runoff and protect drainage systems. Water quality of the Rappahannock is vital. Strong stormwater policies, river cleanups, and native landscaping to filter runoff are imperative. I support improved walkability to reduce vehicle pollution, improve air quality, and connect our community.

Matt Kelly—The city lacks a realistic environmental action plan including short, mid, and long-term goals with a financial plan to implement.

We cannot continue burying our garbage. I worked to expand recycling and composting and looked at public/private partnerships to achieve this goal. To make it work, maximize its impact, and secure more state/federal funding, will require a broader regional approach.

Data centers are now a reality. We must ensure that they 1) cover ALL infrastructure costs to support them; and 2) identify, and cover, ALL costs to minimize their impact of the environment and quality of life.

Question: Are you concerned about the impact of data centers on utility bills and area water resources?

Susanna Finn—With proper oversight and regulations, data center impact on utility bills and local water resources can be managed responsibly. The local Technology Overlay District includes a mandatory public hearing for water service use agreements, ensuring open communication about usage for any data center in Fredericksburg. Transparency and strong efficiency standards help balance economic development with protecting community resources and maintaining fair utility costs for residents.

Matt Kelly—I want to thank the Sierra Club for partnering with us at Inform Fredericksburg in sponsoring community information forums on data centers that should have been done by the city. Instead, the city rushed the approvals providing little information and ignoring citizen concerns. To include the impact on water resources and passing utility infrastructure costs onto residents. As previously stated, We must ensure that they 1) cover ALL infrastructure costs to support them; and 2) cover costs to minimize their impact of the environment and quality of life. These issues need to be addressed BEFORE construction begins.

Ward 4 Candidates

Question: What are the three most important environmental challenges the city is facing and what steps should the city take on these issues?

Jesse Dominguez—Fredericksburg faces serious environmental challenges: polluted wetlands, excessive car dependency, and the need to meet our clean energy goals. Our wetlands are neglected, filled with garbage and invasive species. We must reactivate the Wetlands Board and organize regular cleanups with community volunteers. To reduce car use, we should implement bus-only lanes and make transit more reliable and accessible. Free rides are not enough—buses must be convenient. Lastly, the city must commit to installing solar panels on all government buildings and upgrading public infrastructure to run on clean energy. We can—and should—lead by example in our region.

Charlie Frye—Climate change. Stop contributing to climate change by going fossil free. I supported the creation of the Sustainability Coordinator position to help ensure that Municipal operations are fossil free by 2035 in the City.

Air pollution. I supported funding to make sure the City schools were able to buy electric buses to help with air pollution. The City has been exploring options to have more charging stations for electric cars for residents and visitors.

River pollution. I supported the Plastic tag tax that helps the City protect the environment.

Question: Are you concerned about the impact of data centers on utility bills and area water resources?

Jesse Dominguez—Yes, I’m concerned about how data centers are impacting power bills and water usage, especially as residents aren’t always given clear information. While they may produce less pollution than some developments, data centers place massive demands on electricity and water. We’re already seeing increases in utility costs. Long-term impacts on our river water supply are possible, especially as it’s used for cooling. Even when it becomes a closed system later, the initial intake could cause harm. The city must be transparent, hold developers accountable, and ensure residents aren’t left footing the bill for corporate expansion.

Charlie Frye—Of course, the best way to help eliminate any thoughts of utility bill increases for the residents of the City is to invest in bringing costs down across the board with the future revenue that the city will receive.

The City has enough water resources to run a data center. The neighboring localities also have a responsibility to protect the water resources as they build more data centers.

Where do you vote?

Ward 1: Hugh Mercer Elementary School, 2100 Cowan Boulevard

Ward 2: Dorothy Hart Community Center, 408 Canal Street

Ward 3: Gladys West Elementary School (same place, new name), 1 Learning Lane

Ward 4: Walker-Grant Center, 210 Ferdinand Street

VFW Post 3103, 2701 Princess Anne Street

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