Google Proposes Filling Mile-Long Creek Section in Chesterfield
TL;DR: Google's data center projects in Chesterfield County would impact thousands of feet of streams and acres of wetlands, sparking environmental concerns as the company seeks federal permits.
Quick facts
- Who: Google, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chesterfield County
- What: Three proposed data center campuses involving stream and wetland impacts under federal environmental review
- When: Applications filed 2025-2026; public comment periods ongoing
- Where: Chesterfield County, Virginia (Projects Loch, Skye, and Peanut)
The story
Google is seeking federal approval for three hyperscale data center campuses in Chesterfield County as part of a $9 billion expansion in Virginia announced in 2025. The projects involve significant impacts to waterways and wetlands.
Project Loch is planned for a 221-acre site in Midlothian west of Route 288 near Moseley Road. The Army Corps of Engineers permit application indicates the development will impact approximately 2,828 feet of stream channels and roughly 5 acres of wetlands, primarily near Tomahawk Creek, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A public comment period for Project Loch closed June 11, 2026.
Project Skye, a 350-acre campus near Route 288 and Watkins Center Parkway, would impact over 8,000 feet of streams and more than 20 acres of wetlands.
Project Peanut, a 300-acre site at 2100 Bermuda Hundred Road in Chester, is already under construction.
Google has proposed mitigation measures including constructing roughly 11 acres of wetlands and preserving 34.2 acres at different sites within the South Anna River watershed to offset environmental impacts. Google redesigned parts of the Loch campus to avoid approximately 74% of on-site wetlands.
Note: The specific claim of 1.5 miles of creek filling could not be independently verified through available sources. Project Loch's impacts are documented at approximately 2,828 feet (roughly 0.5 miles) of stream channels.
Key players
- Google: Developer proposing three data center campuses in Chesterfield County
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Federal agency reviewing permit applications under Clean Water Act
- Chesterfield County: Local jurisdiction reviewing development and environmental impacts
Key dates
- 2025: Google announces $9 billion Virginia expansion
- 2026-05-19: Axios reports on Project Loch environmental impacts and Army Corps review
- 2026-06-11: Public comment period closes for Project Loch Army Corps permit application
- 2026-06-22: VPM reports on all three Google data center projects in Chesterfield
- 2026-07-15 to 2026-07-16: Google holds open house meetings on data center projects in Chesterfield
The case for
Google's data centers would attract significant investment to the county, support growing demand for AI and cloud computing infrastructure, and bring job opportunities. The company has emphasized redesigning projects to minimize environmental impact and has committed to substantial wetland restoration and preservation efforts beyond the directly affected areas.
The case against
The projects would permanently impact thousands of feet of streams and dozens of acres of wetlands in an already developed county. While Google proposes mitigation through wetland creation and purchase of credits elsewhere, critics raise concerns about whether off-site restoration adequately compensates for loss of local habitat and stream function. Cumulative impacts of multiple large developments warrant scrutiny before approval.
Why it matters: These projects will determine how much of Chesterfield's remaining natural areas are converted to industrial use and establish precedent for balancing economic development with environmental protection in the county's future growth.
Places
- Chesterfield County
- Midlothian
- Moseley Road
- Route 288
- Tomahawk Creek
- Watkins Center Parkway
- South Anna River
- Bermuda Hundred Road
- Chester
Development timeline
- 2025Google announces $9B Virginia investment: Google announces plans for three data center campuses in Chesterfield County as part of broader $9 billion expansion in Virginia [[source]](https://virginiabusiness.com/google-announces-chesterfield-data-center-as-part-of-9b-investment/)
- 2026-05-19Environmental impacts disclosed for Project Loch: Axios reports that Project Loch would impact 2,828 feet of streams and 5 acres of wetlands, triggering Army Corps of Engineers review [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/19/google-data-center-chesterfield-army-corps-permit)
- 2026-06-11Project Loch public comment period closes: Army Corps of Engineers public comment period for Project Loch permit application closes [[source]](https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/Article/4484789/nao-2026-00182-vmrc-project-loch-chesterfield-county-virginia-wauford-prm-site/)
- 2026-07-15Google holds open house on data centers: Google hosts open house meetings at Brightpoint Community College and Cosby High School where residents can ask questions about the three proposed data center projects [[source]](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/google-data-center-open-house-july-15-2026)
Related links
- Chesterfield County Data Centers Information
- Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program
- Chesterfield County Environmental Engineering
- Chesterfield County Permits
Read the original at r/ChesterfieldVA →
Sources
- Google's second Chesterfield data center could impact wetlands - Axios Richmond
- Google's $9B bet on a trio of Chesterfield data center campuses - VPM
- USACE Provides Update on Google's $9B Data Center Project - The Chesterfield Report
- Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice NAO-2026-00182
- Google announces Chesterfield data center as part of $9B investment - Virginia Business
- Details revealed for Google's Project Skye data center campus in Chesterfield County - Data Center Dynamics