The Prince William Conservation Allince will hold a public meeting to discuss threats to rural land quickly being consumed by newly-built data centers.
A Community Town Hall: Help Protect the Health of the Occoquan Reservoir, will be held Thursday, June 2, 7 p.m. at Jenkins Elementary School 4060 Prince William Parkway, in Woodbridge. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with exhibits to view. The event is free to attend.
Several data centers are proposed for the The Rural Crescent, land stretching from Quantico to the Manassas National Battlefield Park near Mansssas. ?Accrording to the Alliance, if the Rural Crescent is developed, data centers and new homes would dot the landscape and would affect the water table, water run-off into to the Occoquan River.
Speakers include Rob Hartwell, former Potomac River Commissioner, Kim Hosen, Prince William Conservation Alliance, Deshundra Jefferson, community smart growth activist, Bill McDow, Belmont Bay community, Julie Bolthouse, Piedmont Environmental Council. Kyle Hart, National Parks Conservation Association, Elizabeth Ward, Green Risks, and Frank Washington, Coalition to Protect Thoroughfare.
The county is reviewing the Prince William Digital Gateway proposal, a land rezoning request to change more than 2,100 acres near the Manassas National Battlefield Park from AE, Agricultural or Estate and ER, Environmental Resource to Technology / Flex (T/F). The proposed area is 15 times larger than Potomac Mills mall in Woodbridge, by comparision.
If developed, a new analysis shows more than 57,000 tons of sediment would flow into the Occoquan Reservoir – a drinking water supply for more than 800,000 people, while another 1,350 tons would flow into Quantico Creek.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has shown support for bringing data centers to the county, an industry neighboring Loudoun County cornered 25 years ago. Loudoun has more data centers than any place in the world.
