I remember the first time I heard about a data center. It was a few years ago, and I was on the phone interviewing a state delegate about some bills he had in the General Assembly. It wasn’t on my list of things to discuss, but he mentioned he’d like to talk about data centers. He said the area he represented had lots of them.
“Wow, that’s great!” I said.
Silence met me on the other end. Then, he laughed cordially and commented something close to “it depends on who you talk to and how you look at it.”
He explained that these data centers—a name which, to me, sounded like a big hub of information technology job offices—were actually fueling artificial intelligence advancements, and that they had some pretty major issues.
Nowadays, Virginia is number one in the nation for data centers, holding the highest number of them in any state. In fact, Northern Virginia holds the world’s largest concentration of data centers. Whether you’re for or against them, the impact they’re having on our commonwealth is clear—and I’m so glad you’re here to read about it in today’s lead story.
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An early voting sign on a door welcoming people to vote for a democratic election in the United States of America. (Dan Hanscom/Shutterstock)
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By Ava Edwards
As a US citizen, you have rights during election season. If you are registered to vote, your vote deserves to be heard and counted. That’s why, here at Dogwood, we want you to be informed about your constitutional right to vote before you cast your ballot.
If you cannot vote in person in Virginia, you have the right to an absentee ballot no matter the reason. You can easily request an absentee ballot using Dogwood’s voter registration tool found here. You may complete and return your absentee ballot to the registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
If a poll worker says you aren’t in the poll book, you are still entitled to a provisional ballot. Ensure your poll worker also double-checks your registration status, and spell your name out loud if needed. Have the wrong polling place? You can use our voter registration tool to check your polling place, or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE for further assistance on Election Day.
If you make any mistakes on your ballot, you have the right to a new one. Poll workers are there to help, so make sure you let someone know if accidents happen. Further, if the machines at your polling place malfunction, you may ask for a paper ballot instead.
If you require extra accessibility assistance in voting, your poll workers are there to help, and it’s your right to have your ballot counted no matter what. You may also bring a family member or friend to the polling station with you for additional assistance. Let the poll workers know you have someone helping you; your aid may be required to sign a form promising that they won’t influence your vote.
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You’re election-ready. 🙌 Now help a friend get there, too—forward this email before Nov. 3.
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Across the street from Chatham High School in Chatham, a tobacco field grows at sunset. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)
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By Amie Knowles
Did you know there are hidden costs related to having a data center in your community—and they’re not all financially based?
💵 New and/or expanded transmission lines are necessary for some up-and-coming data centers. These upgrades formerly appeared in Virginians’ monthly electric bills, where ratepayers helped offset the price. In August, Gov. Abigail Spanberger urged state regulators to protect Virginians from bearing the costs, ensuring that developers pay the full price—not residents and small business owners.
💧 Large data centers can use millions of gallons of water a day for cooling—a growing concern here in the commonwealth, where persistent dry conditions this summer left 32% of Virginia under a drought notice as of Sept. 29, with another 18% experiencing abnormally dry conditions.
🏠 And water isn’t the only concern. From noise and air pollution to disputes over right-of-way access, Virginia communities are confronting the impacts of the data center boom. Earlier this year, Dogwood covered the Golden-Mars Transmission Line in Sterling, which proposed the construction of 200-foot electricity monopoles staking a path right through the residential Loudoun Valley Estates subdivision.
From signing petitions to showing up at the ballot box to vote for candidates committed to fairly regulating data centers, there are a multitude of civic actions Virginians can take.
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By Amie Knowles
When I was in high school, I almost got in big trouble. I—a super nice goodie-two-shoes—accepted a note from a friend in geography class. The teacher, a 30-some-year-old who made it abundantly clear that he’d rather be anywhere else, intercepted it.
“Can I ask to see what’s on that note?” he asked.
I gave a “yeah,” and he waited. And waited. The teacher crossed his arms, tapped his foot.
“Well, why aren’t you showing it to me?” he asked.
My neurodivergent head tilted, genuinely confused: “Because you haven’t asked yet.”
When he realized I wasn’t actually being a smart aleck, I eluded a write up. But that instance stayed with me. Sometimes, there’s a good answer that gets buried simply because the right question was never asked.
In honor of National Voter Education Week, we’re posing a really important question: What are some Virginia election questions you don’t have time to Google?
It doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering (though, it can be). Maybe you have questions about voter registration or concerns about elections being safe and secure. Or maybe it’s something we haven’t covered yet, but you’re curious. We’d love to answer your questions, so please don’t be shy—simple or complex, we’re ready to help.
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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Knowles. Amie is a lifelong Virginia resident and mom to a fantastic 8-year-old who loves Pokémon. This edition includes a story by Ava Edwards. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.
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