Citizens Continue Opposition to Data Centers

By DAVID QUESENBERRY

Patriot Publishing

 

Citizens once again Monday night expressed their opposition and displeasure to the Board of Supervisors over the prospect of a data center being located in the Commerce Park in the county.

At the center of some of the comments was a performance agreement between the Virginia’s First Authority and New River Valley, LLC, dated April 7, 2025, “for an electrical grid connection and data center campus, or any other related industrial, manufacturing or warehouse facility allowable by-right in the underlying Zoning District.”

Steven Prescott expressed concern over the amount of time and effort the Board had spent at seminars and passing emails to each other about data centers and not with the citizens. He asked why so much effort was spent on data center training with policy coaching from other organizations. He noted that Virginia’s First, which has two representatives from Pulaski County, entered into an agreement with New River Valley, LLC which has strong ties with data centers in Northern Virginia.

The registered agent of NRV, LLC is Tim Kissler of Castle Rock NRV, LLC which Prescott  alleged the County had been in contact with. Castle Rock is primarily involved, Prescott said, with site maintenance for data centers.

“We’re here to say we don’t want it. Nobody that’s come in here is in favor of data centers, except for it seems like, you guys” he said to the Board. “We need your protection.”

At times the discussion became strained.

Hazel Wines also mentioned the performance agreement and questioned if the Board members knew about it. She also asked about questions she submitted about the data centers, but had received no answers despite assurances they would be addressed.

Chairman Walters responded that the questions had been answered. Wines responded that neither she nor others had received responses to their questions.

“Or,” she said, “Maybe we’re all lying and you’re not.” To this Chairman Walters hit the gavel and told Wines she had her verbal warning to which Wines replied, “Interesting.”

She continued that in the performance agreement only 40 jobs might be expected over an eight year period. “That doesn’t sound like that’s worth the investment,” she said. “It’s disappointing to hear one thing come from this Board and then another, and for the reality to be the exact opposite.”

Betsy Mabry spoke to the Board on how data centers and their power plants affected property values especially for those citizens in Pulaski County living five to six miles from the site. Based on her research and twenty plus years of real estate brokerage experience in the County, Mabry said that the project will lower some property values.

She said the data center issue has placed real estate brokers and agents in a precarious position regarding disclosure of these projects which affects demand and property values. She gave an example of a property sold in October 2025 which overlooks the 475-acre tract proposed for the data center. The realtor did not disclose the information on the site and can be sued for non-disclosure. She asked that Board members hold public meetings with persons from their district to answer their questions and address concerns, “since the County Administrator has chosen not to do so.”

Tim Vela told the Board he was looking for answers and for protection from the County.

“We’re looking for answers from you guys,” he told the Board. “What we want to hear from you all as a Board is to say that we will protect the citizens.” He said multiple things had been brought up such as water usage, electrical usage, and utility rates increasing which he said was important to the average citizen. With data centers, he continued, citizens nationwide are seeing massive increases in their electrical utility costs.

“What we want to have from you guys are guarantees that you will protect the citizens.”

He asked the Board for information on what protection it could offer, if a data center came in, on property values and electrical/water usage.

Suzanne Dehart also opposed a data center especially in light of its water usage. Given the current water problems with the drought, she asked what other problems with water a data center would bring. She encouraged the Board to find out what its constituents wanted.

Leah Wietrzykowski told the Board of her concerns about the potential effect a data center could have on the area’s water resources. She urged the Board, “If anything like that (data centers) does happen, if you guys could, stand up and fight for us, you’re the only people that we have.” Candace Long described to the Board her family’s love of living an outdoor lifestyle on their land. She cautioned the Board that resources don’t last forever.

“Our mountains are not for sale,” she added.

Brenda Blackburn opined that even though there had been amendments to the Virginia First’s bylaws, Pulaski County still had to consent for any facility to locate in the Commerce Park.

Following the public’s comments, Chairman Walters responded to comments about emails and training.

The Board went to trainings, she said, to learn about these things and what’s coming and what’s not.

“Just like you, we do our research,” she said. “There is in my experience, and I have done a lot of research, there is a lot of misinformation and very old technology information out there. Most of the old stuff is bad. It doesn’t mean what’s happening today is bad.”

Mentioning her work and activities in local environmental organizations, she said she was not concerned about water because the new systems use very little water which is not dumped into the river, but is used for other things which she is finding out through research.

“You do have people up here that are concerned,” she said. “What data centers do is they bring in a bunch of tax money that lowers your real estate taxes and it helps all of us. Be aware, we all have been researching and reading and doing our due diligence.”

County Administrator Jonathan Sweet added that the only location under consideration for a center is the Commerce Park. Inside that park was Virginia’s largest indoor growing operation – a reference to the Red Sun facility. The facility already has a closed loop system for water conservation which uses rain capture, re-circulation and modern technology for monitoring. Water usage for this facility is far less than a standard operation.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about the centers and examples of old systems that did not use modern technology,” said Sweet, noting the advances in standards. He continued the state is doing a good job with legislation insuring the environment is paramount concerning data centers or any large consumers of water and electricity.

“At some point,” he finished, “there has to be a level of trust that citizens will be protected.”

The next meeting of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors is scheduled at 7 p.m., Monday, July 27, 2026 in the County Administration Building at 43, Third Street, N.W. in Pulaski, Virginia.