Virginia Governor Launches AI Task Force and Seeks to Regulate Data Centers

Virginia’s Governor Abigail Spanberger has initiated measures aimed at giving local communities a stronger voice in data center development, while also slowing down the approval process in a state known as the data center capital of the world.

Executive Order 22 prohibits executive branch officials from entering into nondisclosure agreements related to data center projects, mandates expedited noise regulations, and calls for a review of backup-generation operations utilized by these centers, among other stipulations. Additionally, the order sets up an AI task force tasked with assessing how the state can mitigate risks to residents, such as workforce displacement and data privacy concerns, and exploring how current laws can address potential AI-related harms.

This order signals a growing trend among states to take control of data center and AI policies, especially as federal action has been slow or hesitant. On the same day, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom announced an executive order to gather experts focused on AI safety, while New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul and Texas’s Governor Greg Abbott have also taken steps to manage the rapid expansion of data centers.

Alongside the executive order, Spanberger introduced a new “Data Center Accountability Framework” for Virginia, outlining further priorities. These include the elimination of “by-right approval” processes, which previously allowed developers in Loudoun County to build on certain lands without additional oversight, the removal of some state subsidies, the establishment of environmental protections, and measures to shield residents from rising energy costs linked to data centers.

A press release detailing these actions features numerous endorsements from environmental organizations praising Spanberger’s approach, though some advocates wish for more stringent measures. For instance, the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), a nonprofit advocating for a moratorium on new developments to address existing issues, expressed that while the order addresses standards for new data centers, it does not tackle the challenges posed by existing facilities and those already in development, along with the cumulative impacts on local communities.