A proposed 900-megawatt data center campus in Goochland County, Virginia, is drawing opposition from residents who fear it would bring industrial noise, intense water use, and large amounts of heat waste into their communities.
The dispute reflects growing tensions playing out in communities across the country as tech giants race to expand infrastructure fueling the AI boom.
What happened?
The Tuckahoe Creek Technology Park, a proposed 871-acre Goochland County project, would bring a massive data center complex to the area.
The company behind the plan, Denver-based TRACT, claims that it will result in more economic activity for the region. But if built, the campus would sit next to residential areas near Hockett Road, Cobblestone Circle, and Mosaic at West Creek.
TRACT held a meeting on Thursday at Goochland High School where residents came to hear details about the plan and voice their concerns, according to WTVR. The majority of people at the meeting said the project is too large and explained their worries about how it could affect daily life nearby.
Among the opponents, resident Steve Levet pointed to the amount of water the facilities might use.
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Levet said at the meeting, according to WTVR, "What TRACT is asking for is to use as much as 600,000 gallons of water per day to dissipate the heat on extremely hot days. They're asking for permission to use as much as two million gallons per day. That's a lot of water."
Another resident, Cynthia Hass, said the development threatens the quieter life she and her husband thought they would have after moving to Goochland County.
"That's gonna completely ruin my peace and quiet," she said.
Why does it matter?
Large data centers can bring jobs, tax revenue, and infrastructure investment, but they can also place heavy demands on local resources. Residents in Goochland are concerned not just about construction near their homes, but also about the effects of industrial cooling systems, round-the-clock operations, and land-use changes.
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Those concerns are especially relevant in Virginia, the state at the center of the AI boom.
Proposed data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, which may strain local grids, raise costs, and create new environmental pressures if that power does not come from cleaner sources.
Beyond energy and water use, critics also point to noise, backup generators, land disturbance, and the possibility that local residents bear the burdens while the benefits flow elsewhere.
The issue could also affect home values, neighborhood character, traffic, and basic quality of life.
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