Data Centers

Residents and grassroots groups held a roughly 40-minute press conference Thursday evening outside the NTT data center complex at 13710 Daves Store Lane in Gainesville to call for a 12-month pause on new data center applications that require a vote by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. Organizers said the pause is needed so the county can update buffers, setbacks, noise rules, lighting standards, and other protections before more projects advance.

Speakers included Rina Stapp of Save Braemar, Carolee Carrington of Wentworth Green, Catherine Kulik of the HOA Roundtable, Patrick Harters, and Dalton Nichols of the Occoquan District. They described impacts from noise and large industrial fans, light trespass and non-dark-sky-compliant fixtures, diesel generators, power demand they said is equivalent to hundreds of thousands of homes for this campus alone, rising electricity bills, and proximity to homes, schools, and the Occoquan Reservoir Protective Area.

Public Works Director Khattab Shammout and Assistant Police Chief Dave Burkhart told the Board of County Supervisors that none of 19 resident complaints tested since the amended noise ordinance took effect in May have exceeded the current limits. Readings generally fell in the nighttime 50s and daytime low 60s, below the 73 dB daytime and roughly 60-to-68 dB nighttime thresholds.

Of the 19 complaints filed through the county’s 311 system, 18 did not meet the definition of steady tonal noise, though staff measured them anyway. The department aims to respond within two business days and has averaged about 8.5 days from complaint to measurement feedback.