“This victory sends a clear message to developers everywhere that our national parks are no place for data centers." -- NPCA's Kyle Hart
RICHMOND, VA – Today, after more than 5 years, the Prince William Digital Gateway — a data center complex that could have brought up to 37 data centers to the edge of Manassas National Battlefield Park— is officially dead. The proposal’s second and last remaining developer QTS, withdrew its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court, officially ending the project.
The scale and speed of data center development is unprecedented in the region. Virginia has become the data center capital of the world with more data centers here than anywhere else on the Planet. Across the state, data center growth has spiked more than 500% since 2015.
A recent NPCA report sounded the alarm on the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure across the Mid-Atlantic, which is one of the biggest threats facing national parks across the region. The cumulative impacts of the extraordinary demand for land, water and energy use, on top of the enormous physical footprints data centers have now and are projected to have in years to come, put the more than 70 national parks across the region in jeopardy.
Statement by Kyle Hart, Mid-Atlantic Senior Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association
“This is a tremendous and hard-fought victory for Manassas National Battlefield Park and the people and wildlife that call the area home. After years of advocacy, today we relish knowing this disastrous project will not come to fruition. NPCA is grateful for our many partners and on the ground advocates for their unwavering opposition to the Digital Gateway.
“This victory sends a clear message to developers everywhere that our national parks are no place for data centers. Manassas Battlefield is an irreplaceable part of our shared American history and the conflicts that took place here must not be forgotten. Americans from across the country, local partners and historians alike have spoken out for years against the scale and scope of development proposed for this landscape.
“We look forward to working with the elected officials in Prince William County and in Congress to envision a better future for this landscape. Together, we can ensure innovation and conservation go hand in hand by supporting common sense regulations that protect our communities, our air and water, and our national parks.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan, National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
