Reduced Belmont Innovation Gateway proposal up for reconsideration  

By Reed Carver 

Belmont Innovation Gateway, one of the biggest data centers ever proposed, was heard at the March 13 Board of Supervisors Public Hearing, as the last item discussed that night. Approximately 39 people were wearing red, showing their opposition against this proposal, and as many had stop sign stickers on their shirts. Activists were also outside the board room. 

The Supervisors narrowly denied the proposal, 5-4 with Phyllis Randall (D-At Large), Juli Briskman (D-Algonkian), Mike Turner (D-Ashburn), Sylvia Glass (D-Broad Run), and Laura TeKrony (D-Little River) voting against. However, on March 19, supervisors decided to reconsider a smaller center at their April 10 meeting.

Zoning for the project would require a change on one of the parcels from, General Industry and Agricultural Residential, to the Industrial Park District, which is the zoning that data centers require. The proposed project in Ashburn is made up of two parcels totaling 110 acres. The proposed data center space had been reduced from 3.8 million, to 2.91 million sq. ft., while 1.3 million sq. ft. is allowed by-right, on one of the parcels. 

The developers included open space, buffers, and easements to decrease stormwater runoff. A 19-acre park on the property was being proffered. The design showed planned wraps around generators to mitigate the noise. Solar panels were suggested to cover the roof, nevertheless, staff along with the BOS were in agreement that the power produced by solar panels could not approach a significant amount of power for the proposal. 

Chair Randall asked if building this station will impact the entire grid. Mr. Richardson, the Director of Communications for Dominion Energy said, by law, they must power whatever is approved and built. High-voltage lines currently power existing data centers, separate lower voltage lines power homes, he said.

The public weighs in

“It’s irresponsible to not look at the power demands,” John Lovegrove said during public comments. “We will need 3-4 times the power by 2030. If you allow it to be built, you’re asking for another 600 megawatts of power, which Dominion is obligated to provide. We don’t have enough power, so we’re going to have to bring in more from dirty coal plants.”

Jean Wright said, “Dominion has shared that they are unable to meet green goals because of data center demand.” Loudoun must know more about the impacts of data, and wait to be more informed, she concluded.

Chris Tandy re-emphasized the concerns about the fossil fuels being burned for power. 

Cheryl Harper was concerned about, “more power consumption, more pressure on the already stressed grid … and it’s asking Loudoun residents to be on the hook for paying for it. Loudoun has been the global leader on data development, it must also be the leader on understanding the impacts.”

Julie Bolthouse, Director of Land use with PEC said, “This application is asking for the equivalent of eight Walmart supercenters, with diesel storage, with 200 generators, … and two substations.” 

Morris Meyer, who works in the power industry said their position was, “we don’t have any backup in case the load expands beyond what we have.” 

The Supervisors’ decision

Koran Saines (D-Sterling) stated that in reality, no options existed but getting a data center, whether the Supervisors voted yes or no. If the application was denied, it will fall to a by-right use, without all the proffered benefits. 

“The problem is national,” Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said. “If we don’t change the way we live, data centers are going to be a part of our lives.” Locally, she said this data center does not require the building of an additional transmission line.

Caleb Kershner (R-Catoctin) said, “Getting rid of data centers is just going to make taxes go through the roof. This application has zero to do with the western power lines, zero. Approving or denying is not going to make any difference in the power grid.” 

Construction of data centers will continue anyway, he argued. “This application is the gold standard.” If we send them away, “the message we are sending is we want by-right, ugly buildings, and quite frankly, no environmental, no aesthetic, and no protective measures.”

“Now we’re faced with 1.3 million square feet of by-right data, versus, this roughly 2.8,” said Matthew Letourneau. (R-Dulles) “We have to look at what’s in the proffer package, and what happens if we deny it, and that’s really where I struggle, because of the uniqueness of the site.  This is not the place for a by-right data center. It’s already got its power commitments.”

Laura TeKrony said, “There has been a resounding request to deny, and I am listening to the residents. I believe we have reached a tipping point. This data center will create greater stress on the grid. All the transmission lines feed into the same grid. To say that this data center won’t impact the grid is ridiculous. The scale will contribute to the need for additional high voltage lines.” 

Sylvia Glass agreed. “The people of Loudoun are asking us to take closer looks at the impacts of data centers to our county.” 

Juli Briskman said, “I have for many years been concerned about the unintended impacts, the unmeasured impacts … of the plethora of data centers on Loudoun County. … many years ago, when I was knocking on the doors of my constituency, residents said please stop building data centers in Loudoun. I’ll be voting no.”

Randall said this is the best application, they have ever heard. But, “at some point,” she said, “when do we stop voting for the single best application?” She said others they approved were the best up until that point. “If that’s the standard, then we will always vote for this. I would like to really try to discuss diversifying our economy.”

“It does adversely affect surrounding properties,” she continued. “None of these applications are ever in a silo. I don’t know how we keep doing this … ignoring 80 percent of our public who are making very good points … So, I’m going to be a no.”

Mike Turner responding to Kershner’s claims about the center’s relation to the powerlines said, “The name is The Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Line – they are driving that line – PJM has specifically stated, ‘because of the constrained power situation in eastern Loudoun County,’ is why they’re building that line. That’s to power 31 million sq. ft., and we’ve already permitted 41 million. More lines are coming. This adds to that burden.”

A 600-megawatt data center like this one, he said, would represent 23 percent or so of the 3.1 gigawatts that Loudoun is already using. Turner made the motion to deny the application. 

Turner said the critical reason was that, “the proposed scale of the development would contribute to the need for additional high voltage transmission lines, which will have adverse impacts on surrounding properties … In this case the surrounding neighborhood is eastern Loudoun County.” 

The motion to deny passed with four against. 

In a March 19 Board Business Meeting, Turner said he was contacted by the developer of the Belmont Innovation Gateway, who offered to build the by-right portion of the data center which is 1.3 million sq. ft. They said, “If you reconsider, we will still include the whole environmental package.”

“That’s a no brainer,” Turner said. “The choice is not … whether or not you’re going to get a data center, the question is do you want a world class environmental package or not.” 

“The reason this is in play, is if they go through by-right, they essentially have to go through a six-month permitting process … if this is approved, they can begin construction right away,” Turner said.

The decision was made to consider the by-right sized center with their proposed environmental package at the next public hearing on April 10.