Virginia governor creates an AI task force and moves to restrain data centers

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered the state government to take steps that could empower local communities to have a larger say in data center development and slow down approvals in a state that is already home to the data center capital of the world. Executive Order 22 bans executive branch officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects, requires expedited noise regulations, and requires a review of backup-generation operations used by data centers, among other requirements. The order also establishes an AI task force responsible for evaluating how the state government can address risks to Virginians like workforce displacement and data privacy issues, and determining how existing law can be applied to AI harms. The order represents the latest signal that states are taking data center and AI policy into their own hands as federal action remains slow. In addition to the executive order, Spanberger unveiled a new “Data Center Accountability Framework” for the state. This framework aims to eliminate “by-right approval” which previously allowed developers to build on certain land without additional approvals, remove some state subsidies, establish environmental guardrails, and safeguard residents against increased energy prices associated with data centers. While environmental groups praised the approach, some advocates had pushed for even stricter measures, such as a moratorium on new developments.