Virginia Passes 'Moderate' Data Center Regulations

New laws address water usage, noise, and site suitability, but expert says more progress is needed.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:52pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a data center server rack, with neon lights highlighting the complex digital hardware, conceptually representing the technological infrastructure powering Virginia's growing data center sector.New Virginia laws aim to increase transparency around the environmental impact of the state's booming data center industry.Richmond Today

The Virginia General Assembly has passed several new laws regulating the state's rapidly growing data center industry, including measures addressing water usage, noise, and site suitability. While the legislation marks a step forward, a University of Richmond professor says the progress is limited and that 'lots of very important bills failed' during the legislative session.

Why it matters

Data centers have become a major industry in Virginia, with some facilities using up to 8 million gallons of water per day. The new laws aim to increase transparency and regulation around the environmental impact of these facilities, which have faced growing concerns from local communities.

The details

Out of 61 data center bills proposed this year, more than half a dozen have now been signed into law by Governor Abigail Spanberger. The legislation includes measures to record water usage and efficiency on a monthly basis, as well as address issues around noise and site suitability. However, the professor notes that 'about 40%' of the proposed bills were continued, giving lawmakers until November to reach an agreement before those expire.

  • The Virginia General Assembly's regular session ended in March 2026.
  • Governor Spanberger signed the new data center laws into law in April 2026.
  • The new laws will begin taking effect within 6 months to 1 year.

The players

Abigail Spanberger

The Governor of Virginia who approved the new data center regulations.

Mary Finley-Brook

A professor at the University of Richmond who provided expert analysis on the new data center laws.

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What they’re saying

“They were really reinforcing these concerns of people about water, about noise, about site suitability.”

— Mary Finley-Brook, Professor, University of Richmond

“One of the bills I'm most excited about will have water and water efficiency being recorded every single month.”

— Mary Finley-Brook, Professor, University of Richmond

“There's a small amount of movement toward regulation of an industry that's basically been without regulation.”

— Mary Finley-Brook, Professor, University of Richmond

What’s next

Lawmakers are scheduled to return for a special session on April 23 to vote on the state budget, which includes data center tax breaks that have been in place since 2008. The professor says this ongoing debate over data center subsidies will be a key issue to watch.

The takeaway

While the new data center laws represent a modest step forward in regulating the industry's environmental impact, the professor says Virginia still has a long way to go to truly address the concerns of local communities about issues like water usage, noise, and site selection for these massive facilities.