Bill Text: VA SB1078 | 2023 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Siting of data centers; impacts on resources, site assessment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-03 - Passed by indefinitely in Rules (13-Y 4-N) [SB1078 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2023-SB1078-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-2209.3 as follows:
§15.2-2209.3. Siting of data centers; impacts on resources; site assessment.
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, general or special, any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center, as defined in §58.1-3506, shall only be approved in areas where the data center (i) will have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) will not be within one mile of a national park or state park or other historically significant site, as designated by the Department of Historic Resources.
B. Prior to any such approval, a site assessment shall be performed to examine the effect of the data center on water usage and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural resources.
