Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has unveiled the state’s new Data Center Accountability Framework alongside Executive Order 22, calling it the most comprehensive data center accountability effort in the country.
The framework is built around five core priorities: increasing transparency, strengthening environmental protections, lowering energy costs, bolstering clean energy, and delivering better outcomes for Virginia workers.
Executive Order 22 immediately bans executive branch agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and authorities from entering into non-disclosure agreements for data center projects.
The order also directs the Office of the Chief Energy Officer to create a community engagement toolkit within 120 days to help local governments better evaluate data center development proposals.
Additional provisions expedite the development of data center noise regulations and direct a thorough review of diesel and other backup-generation operations associated with data centers across the state.
The order further bars the Virginia Economic Development Partnership from assisting new data center projects with anticipated peak demand of 25 megawatts or greater through expedited permitting or similar programs.
Spanberger is also calling on the 2027 General Assembly to legislate stronger local control by eliminating by-right approval and requiring local sign-off on any data center consuming more than 25 megawatts of power.
The framework calls on lawmakers to end state subsidies for data centers in Virginia’s site development programs and remove large data centers from the state’s fast-track permitting process entirely.
Legislators would also be asked to require data centers to pay their fair share of energy costs and invest in clean energy solutions to limit the use of natural gas generators going forward.
Executive Order 22 additionally creates Virginia’s new AI Task Force, designed to address growing risks posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence across the public and private sectors.
Spanberger was direct in her message to data center operators who may resist the new requirements, delivering a clear warning about the state’s expectations.
“Make no mistake about it: These standards are high. And moving forward, it’s pretty simple: if you don’t want to meet Virginia’s high standards, then Virginia isn’t the place for you,” Spanberger said.
The announcement drew praise from several prominent environmental organizations, including the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Virginia has long been one of the largest data center markets in the world, and the new framework signals a significant shift in how the state plans to manage that growth going forward.
