Siting deals are negotiated under non-disclosure agreements and operating data is withheld, so communities cannot evaluate the trade
#00210
Around 80% of Virginia localities with data-center activity have NDAs in place. Where reporting is mandatory it is widely ignored: the EU database's first cycle saw 36% participation with no consequences for the rest.
#00223Mandate per-facility energy and water reporting with a penalty attached, and bar NDAs covering utility impacts
Require each facility above a size threshold to report metered energy, water withdrawal and consumption to a public register, with a real penalty for non-reporting, and prohibit local NDAs that cover utility impacts. The EU tried this without penalties and got 36% participation.
#00224Negotiate community benefit agreements with numeric, measurable and independently enforceable thresholds
Where a community has rezoning leverage, convert it into a binding agreement with numeric terms: decibel limits at named receptor addresses, an annual water cap, disclosed load, local hire percentages with a definition of local, and payments — all with funded, non-judicial enforc