Dinwiddie families fear data center near their homes will upend wildlife, water and way of life

DINWIDDIE COUTNY, Va— CBS 6 is following up on families in Dinwiddie County are demanding answers about a proposed large-scale data center campus planned for their neighborhood, as Virginia moves to put more guardrails around the rapid growth of the industry.

A land acquisition company called Tract wants to build the Haven Oak Technology Park on nearly 1,000 acres near White Oak and Claiborne roads in the northern part of the county. The facility would house about 900 megawatts of capacity. Supporters say it will bring 12,000 construction jobs and millions of dollars to the county.

Jeannie Schelin lives directly across the street from the proposed site. She was among many residents who expressed concerns at a community meeting Tuesday night.

"Once it's there, you can't take it back," Schelin said.

"We are going to be affected 365 days a year if this property comes," Schelin said.

Schelin is also concerned about what a data center could mean for the wildlife around her home.

"We have lots of deer that come off that property. We have bears on that property. We have a pack of coyotes that live on that property. Fox, whippoorwill. everything. So all this is a concern for us," Schelin said.

Concerns about the proposed project site include its potential effect on local wildlife and the fact that it runs through a Civil War battlefield. Other expressed concerns are statewide including water usage, electricity rates and sound pollution.

One resident raised concerns about the project's proximity to their home.

"I live within the 150 feet from the data center. How will they protect my well? How will they guarantee I have water?" the resident said.

The questions come as Gov. Abigail Spanberger recently introduced a new framework for data center oversight across the state. Spanberger says the industry is expanding quickly while some communities question energy costs, quality of life and environmental impacts. Her plan calls for greater transparency and stronger standards around energy efficiency, water use, land impacts and backup generation.

"This framework will result in more clean energy, more direct benefits for communities, less noise pollution, less air pollution, less water use, good local jobs, and more local engagement," Spanberger said.

The Governor's new data center rules also call for limiting non-disclosure agreements between state agencies and data center projects, giving localities tools to negotiate community benefits. However, many attendees at Tuesday night's meeting felt there was a lack of transparency from Tract.

"I think there was a lot of stuff that they told us we can't answer that. We have to check into that. We're not certain about that. Well, if you can't answer the questions, why did you come?" Schelin said.

Schelin also raised concerns about what the project announcement has already done to the local housing market.

"They pitched their sales pitch to our community. Now we can't even sell our houses. Realtors won't even bring people to look at our houses as soon as they find out what's across the street from where we live, and we're afraid that's going to happen to us too," Schelin said.

Tract declined an interview request Tuesday with CBS 6 Kelsey Jones. She followed up Wednesday with written questions asking

"What studies have been done regarding the project's potential impact on groundwater, streams and nearby wells?" "Will there will be enforceable noise limits and who residents would contact if those limits are exceeded?" and "How much electricity the facility will require at full operation?" Tract responded to a few of Kelsey's questions saying tract answered some of our questions saying a future operator would have to follow the project’s approved county conditions, while also saying it has removed development from about 185 acres of core battlefield land, capped water use at 70-thousand gallons a day, and is planning for up to 900 megawatts of power at full build out.

The project is still in the early stages and remains under review by the county's planning department.