What are Resolutions?
● Resolutions are educational tools affording policy information and talking points to advise, inspire, engage, and recruit Democrats and recruit votes for Democrats.
● Resolutions delineate, advance, and amplify Democratic policies and values.
● Resolutions are self-sufficient stand-alone statements of official Democratic (SCDC) policies and principles. They do not require follow up action of any kind unless so specified in their “Therefore, be it resolved” asks. However, they may be used as tools for subsequent lobbying, advocacy, and messaging efforts.
● Resolutions customarily resemble short “whitepaper” policy analyses that provide broad policy overviews and recommendations.
● Resolutions are written by SCDC members, reviewed by the Executive Board and approved by the committee as a whole
POSTED: September 22, 2026
Link to Document
RESOLUTION OF THE SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE TO OPPOSE FURTHER DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS, Spotsylvania County has already approved eight data center projects encompassing over 10 million square feet of industrial facilities; and
WHEREAS, an additional 10 proposals are currently moving through the local planning pipeline, highlighted by a massive 633-acre campus proposed near the densely populated Lee Hill area;
WHEREAS, recent polling shows an overwhelming supermajority of 71% of Virginians, spanning both Democratic and Republican affiliations, have united in bipartisan opposition to these expansions; and
WHEREAS, the community requires immediate remediation to fully evaluate and comprehend the long-term, compounding impacts of these facilities on our neighborhoods, public utilities, infrastructure, and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, independent evaluations and historical data indicate severe multi-sector risks associated with rapid data center proliferation, including Property Value Depreciation, Noise Pollution, Air Pollution, Light Pollution, Electric Grid Instability
WHEREAS, serious water security and public health crises have been documented under similar conditions, most notably an investigative report by Rolling Stone regarding an Oregon study in Morrow County; that study linked heavy industrial data center water consumption and evaporation loops to highly concentrated nitrate pollution in groundwater aquifers and private wells, which local health experts tied to elevated rates of cancer, kidney damage, and miscarriages; and
WHEREAS, Spotsylvania County, in comparison to many nearby localities, has a very low data center equipment tax rate while depreciation, state tax exemptions, and local incentives may further reduce revenues; and further study is warranted to determine whether the current tax and incentive structure adequately accounts for the fiscal, infrastructure, educational, and community impacts of data center development and is consistent with neighboring jurisdictions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee:
Formally Opposes the approval, zoning adjustments, or permitting of any additional data center developments beyond the eight projects already authorized by the county.
Demands a Multi-Year pause on all pending and future data center applications—including the proposed 633-acre Lee Hill project—to allow for comprehensive, independent environmental and utility impact studies.
