DATA CENTER MORATORIUM BILLS STACK UP AHEAD OF VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN JANUARY – WTOP NEWS

What happened: Virginia lawmakers will debate several bills in January that would halt data center development, including Senate Bill 843 by Sen. Russett Perry and Sen. Danica Roem, which proposes a three-year statewide moratorium on data center permits from July 2027 to July 2030. Key numbers: Virginia has nearly 400 operating data centers, with over 280 planned. Why it matters: The bills signal a possible shift in a legislature that previously rejected major data center actions, while IBEW and the Data Center Coalition oppose a moratorium, citing jobs and tax base.

Virginia lawmakers will debate several bills in January that would halt data center development, including Senate Bill 843 by Sen. Russett Perry and Sen. Danica Roem, which proposes a three-year statewide moratorium on data center permits from July 2027 to July 2030.

The bills signal a possible shift in a legislature that previously rejected major data center actions, while IBEW and the Data Center Coalition oppose a moratorium, citing jobs and tax base.