Virginia governor takes action on AI, data centers
What's the story
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed an executive order to address the risks posed by data centers and artificial intelligence (AI). The move is part of a larger trend of states taking control over data center and AI policy amid slow action from Congress and President Donald Trump. The order also comes after California Governor Gavin Newsom's similar initiative to form a team of experts for tackling AI safety issues.
Order details
Key provisions of the executive order
Executive Order 22 prohibits executive branch officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects.
It also mandates expedited noise regulations and a review of backup-generation operations used by data centers.
The order further establishes an AI task force to assess how the state government can mitigate risks such as workforce displacement and data privacy issues, while also determining how existing law can be applied to AI harms.
New framework
New 'Data Center Accountability Framework'
Along with the executive order, Spanberger also introduced a new "Data Center Accountability Framework" for Virginia.
The framework proposes to end "by-right approval," a system that allowed developers to build on certain land without additional approvals.
It also suggests removing some state subsidies, establishing environmental guardrails, and protecting residents from rising energy prices linked to data centers.
Public concerns
Public concern over data centers and AI
A recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago found that 53% of Americans are "extremely" or "very" concerned about AI's environmental effects.
The survey also showed widespread worries about the local footprint of data centers powering AI and cloud computing.
Despite partisan differences, a broad wariness remains over rapid data center expansion, with around six in 10 Americans supporting limits on new construction.