Residents demand transparency on Google data centers

TL;DR: Chesterfield County residents demand greater transparency from Google and county officials about three massive data center projects, citing concerns about water usage, noise, and the nondisclosure agreement that initially kept Google's involvement secret.

The story

Google is planning three massive data center campuses across Chesterfield County as part of a $9 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure through 2026. Project Peanut will occupy more than 300 acres at 2100 Bermuda Hundred Road in Chester and is already under construction with three buildings; it is limited to 6 million gallons daily water usage. Project Skye spans 848 acres at 4201 Moseley Road with four buildings planned, capped at 1.755 million gallons of daily water usage. Project Loch encompasses 334 acres at 750 Watkins Centre Parkway with three buildings, permitted for up to 850,000 gallons of water daily. The three projects total more than 1,500 acres of development.

The central issue driving resident demands for transparency centers on how these projects were initially approved. In 2025, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the projects while bound by a nondisclosure agreement with the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority that kept Google's involvement secret from the public. Google's ownership was not disclosed until August 27, 2025. During the June 2025 supervisors' meeting, board members publicly expressed regret that the NDA prevented them from sharing details before the vote. Legal experts have clarified that an NDA cannot require public officials to vote in a particular manner and cannot shield final contracts, approved financial incentives, or public votes from disclosure.

Residents concerned about the lack of transparency have filed Freedom of Information Act requests seeking documentation about the projects. In July 2026, county officials launched a new webpage at chesterfield.gov/datacenters designed to provide information on existing, approved, and proposed data center developments. The site includes project maps, zoning information, maximum permitted water usage for each site, and frequently asked questions addressing topics such as water consumption, noise levels, utility infrastructure, and electricity demand.

The three projects combined represent less than 8 percent of the county's total water capacity, according to county figures. However, approved or proposed data centers collectively could increase daily water demand by an additional 8.6 million gallons, representing roughly 10 percent of total county water capacity. Google is studying treated wastewater reuse from Proctors Creek Treatment Plant to reduce consumption of potable water supplies. County officials are planning to add a fourth water supply source expected to come online by 2036. The state charges a consumption tax on data center operations; Dominion Energy created a separate rate class for heavy users to prevent cost-shifting to residential customers.

Noise restrictions require that Project Skye maintain a buffer zone with a minimum width of 200 feet (double standard zoning requirements) and adhere to noise limits of 75 decibels during daytime hours and 65 decibels at night at residential property lines. Full cutoff lighting is mandated to limit light pollution.

In mid-July 2026, Google hosted open house events on July 15 at Brightpoint Community College and July 16 at Cosby High School. Hundreds of residents attended the informal station-based events, where Google representatives staffed information tables and poster boards. The format drew criticism from attendees who said it lacked the structure of a traditional town hall. Resident Zach Xavier expressed frustration about the format, stating he had no idea whether information he provided would be recorded or considered. Residents raised concerns about water usage, noise, rising energy costs, proximity to schools without community input, and the use of NDAs in the planning process. Mary Finley-Brook, a longtime resident, characterized the information being shared as incomplete and questioned why community members were not involved earlier in the development process. Google representative Clay Allsop stated that operational details would only be disclosed once projects become operational.

Some residents said they welcomed the county's new transparency website, though others believed such information should have been provided much earlier. Resident Thomas Kierl stated: "We've been asking for this data," and added that "this should have been done a year and a half or two years ago."

Key players

• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: Approved the three projects; bound by nondisclosure agreement that concealed Google's involvement from public
• Google: Developer of three data center campuses; $9 billion investment in Virginia AI infrastructure
• Chesterfield Economic Development Authority: Bound by NDA with Google; withheld Google's identity from public disclosure
• Mary Finley-Brook: Resident; criticized incomplete information disclosure and lack of early community involvement
• Zach Xavier: Resident; expressed frustration about open house format and uncertainty about information collection
• Elizabeth Ream: Resident; raised concerns about rising utility costs
• Clay Allsop: Google Regional Public Affairs Manager; represented company at community events

Key dates

• 2025-06: Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved three Google data center projects while under nondisclosure agreement
• 2025-08-27: Google's involvement with three data center projects publicly disclosed
• 2026-07-15: Google hosted open house event at Brightpoint Community College
• 2026-07-16: Google hosted open house event at Cosby High School
• 2026-07-22: Chesterfield County launched data center information website at chesterfield.gov/datacenters

Why it matters: The outcome of this transparency push will shape how Chesterfield County handles major infrastructure projects going forward and what level of community input and information disclosure residents can expect during future development decisions. The water and utility demands from these three campuses represent a significant commitment of the county's limited infrastructure resources, making clear information essential for long-term planning decisions.

Places

• Bermuda Hundred Road
• Moseley Road
• Watkins Centre Parkway
• Brightpoint Community College
• Cosby High School
• Proctors Creek Treatment Plant

Related links

• Chesterfield County Data Centers Information
• Google data center open house draws hundreds in Chesterfield County
• Chesterfield launches data center website as residents continue to push for transparency

Read the original at VPM News →

Sources

• Google data center open house draws hundreds in Chesterfield County
• Some Chesterfield residents say Google data center open house left questions unanswered
• Chesterfield launches data center website as residents continue to push for transparency
• Google's $9B bet on a trio of Chesterfield data center campuses
• Chesterfield County Data Centers Information
• Data centers in Chesterfield County: What you need to know
• Chesterfield residents demand answers on data center expansion