Sierra Club Applauds Governor Abigail Spanberger’s Data Center Executive Order and Policy Framework Release

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed an executive order aimed at reining in some of the environmental effects of data center growth in the state. Data centers, the large facilities that power cloud computing and AI, have been expanding rapidly and drawing criticism over their strain on electric grids, water supplies, and air quality. The order pushes for a move away from diesel generators (called Tier II generators) that data centers often use for backup power, since these produce heavy air pollution. It also calls for more opportunities for community input on new projects, incentives for data centers to use clean energy sources, and a ban on blanket non-disclosure agreements that have kept basic information about a facility's local impact hidden from residents.

For homeowners, this mostly matters if you live near an existing or proposed data center, or in a Virginia community weighing whether to allow one. Data centers use large amounts of electricity and water, and that demand can affect local utility costs and grid capacity over time. The push for cleaner backup power and more public disclosure could mean fewer diesel emissions and more information available to residents before a facility gets built nearby.

The Sierra Club's Virginia chapter praised the order as the strongest state action yet on data center pollution, while noting that further steps from the legislature and other officials would still be needed to address existing environmental harms. For now, this is a policy shift in Virginia specifically, not a nationwide change, so its direct effect depends on where you live.