Google's $9B Data Center Projects Draw Resident Concerns

TL;DR: Google's three proposed data center campuses in Chesterfield County, representing a $9 billion Virginia investment, are undergoing permit review as residents raise transparency and environmental concerns.

The story

Google is building three data center campuses in Chesterfield County as part of a $9 billion investment in Virginia announced in August 2025. The three projects, code-named Peanut, Loch, and Skye, represent the company's largest capital expansion beyond Northern Virginia in the state.

Project Peanut consists of a 307-acre site at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road near Meadowville Technology Park. Google will build an 855,846-square-foot campus with three data center buildings (each 285,282 square feet) in multiple phases. Project Loch is a 350-acre site near Watkins Centre South adjacent to Route 288. Project Skye is an 880-acre campus in the Upper Magnolia Green area, with construction scheduled to bring the facility online in 2028. Collectively, these three developments will occupy more than 1,500 acres of county land.

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved zoning changes for two of the projects on May 28, 2025, and authorized 30-year equipment tax rate agreements at 24 cents per $100 of assessed value in June 2025. Currently, site plans and building permits are undergoing county review. Project Skye is also subject to a Virginia Water Protection permit from the state because of significant environmental impacts.

According to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filing, the Skye project will "permanently destroy 17.99 acres of palustrine forested wetlands and impact 8,115 linear feet of stream channel associated with Deep Creek, a tributary of the James River." An additional 7.23 acres of forested wetlands would be converted to a less ecologically valuable type. Google proposes purchasing 43.31 wetland credits and 9,213 stream credits to offset these losses and will preserve 121 of 147 on-site wetland acres. Public comment on the Army Corps permit was due July 28, 2026.

Residents have raised multiple concerns about the projects. In mid-July, hundreds of residents attended open house meetings at Brightpoint Community College and Cosby High School, where Google representatives staffed information stations on topics including water sourcing, electricity demands, community impact, building design, and noise. However, attendees reported frustration with the format and said Google provided only general information without project-specific figures on water and power consumption. Residents emphasized that transparency was critical, noting that decisions about county resources should involve clear public communication.

Parents and residents have also raised concerns about air, water, and noise pollution from data centers and their proximity to schools. Some questioned why they were only now learning about the advanced projects despite their significant scale. One resident stated: "It's our county, our electric grid, our water supply, and our futures. I think the residents of Chesterfield are entitled to some transparency."

Google has committed to limit its daily water consumption to less than 8 percent of Chesterfield's typical capacity while exploring opportunities to incorporate treated wastewater into its operations. County leaders including Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Ingle expressed appreciation for the company's efforts to address concerns about power grid and water resource impacts, noting that environmental considerations were thoroughly discussed before approval.

The projects mark a significant expansion of data center infrastructure in Chesterfield, driven in part by Google's deal with Commonwealth Fusion Systems to purchase 200 megawatts of power from a planned commercial fusion energy plant also slated for the county.

Key players

• Google: Developer of three proposed data center campuses
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: Approved zoning changes and incentive agreements; overseeing permit reviews
• Dr. Mark Miller: Midlothian District Supervisor, called Google 'the Rolls-Royce of data center operators'
• Jim Ingle: Board of Supervisors Chair, expressed appreciation for Google's efforts on environmental mitigation
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Reviewing Project Skye permit for wetland impacts
• Chesterfield County residents: Raising concerns about transparency, water/power usage, wetland impacts, and proximity to schools

Key dates

• 2025-08-27: Google announced $9 billion Virginia investment including Chesterfield data centers
• 2025-05-28: Chesterfield Board of Supervisors approved zoning changes for two projects
• 2025-06: Board authorized 30-year equipment tax rate agreements
• 2026-07-15: Google open house at Brightpoint Community College (5-7 p.m.)
• 2026-07-16: Google open house at Cosby High School (5-7 p.m.)
• 2026-07-28: Public comment deadline for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Skye permit
• 2028: Project Skye scheduled to go online
• 2029: Expected completion of expansion phase for all three campuses

Why it matters: The three data center projects represent the largest industrial development in Chesterfield County in recent memory, affecting county infrastructure (electricity, water supply, stormwater management), the environment (wetlands, streams, Deep Creek tributary), and quality of life (noise, traffic during construction). How the county manages this expansion will set precedent for future large industrial projects and determine whether development priorities are aligned with community input and environmental stewardship.

Places

• Bermuda Hundred Road
• Meadowville Technology Park
• Watkins Centre South
• Route 288
• Upper Magnolia Green
• Deep Creek
• James River
• Chester
• Brightpoint Community College
• Cosby High School

Related links

• Chesterfield County Data Center Information Website
• Data Center Tracker - The Chesterfield Report
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Portal
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors

Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield Data Center →

Sources

• Chesterfield County Official Page on Google Investment
• Google Announces $9 Billion Investment in Virginia (Richmonder)
• Google's $9B Bet on Three Chesterfield Data Center Campuses (VPM)
• Google Data Center Open House Draws Hundreds (12 on Your Side)
• Project Skye Permit Deadline and Wetland Impacts (WTVR)
• Neighbors Question Google on Planned Data Centers (WTVR)
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Portal