Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 to introduce tighter oversight on data center growth and evaluate systemic AI risks across the state. The order prohibits executive officials from signing non-disclosure agreements with data center developers, expedites noise regulations, and mandates reviews of backup power generation. Additionally, Virginia introduced a Data Center Accountability Framework to eliminate automated land approvals and reduce state subsidies.
Why it matters
State-level regulatory friction and power grid constraints are creating new operational bottlenecks for data center expansion in key markets.
Tech infrastructure operators face growing policy scrutiny over localized energy prices, environmental impacts, and non-disclosure practices.
Source: theverge.com
