Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Friday unveiled a framework for regulating data centers amid bipartisan calls within the commonwealth and across the U.S. for greater oversight of the rapidly growing industry.

“Day by day, community members are demanding action,” she said. “Virginia should be leading the nation in setting the highest standards for this industry. And now, I believe we are doing just that.”

The Data Center Accountability Framework sets out limits on data center developers and operators, including required community benefit agreements, limits on the use of on-site power plants and a prohibition of nondisclosure agreements between corporations and local governments.

“The goal here is to actually give power back to our local communities by banning NDAs, ensuring that there can be clear, transparent conversations and that communities have the ability to weigh in,” Spanberger said during a news conference.

The framework elements also include strengthening environmental policies and Virginia’s clean energy economy, lowering energy costs and prioritizing the hiring and training of Virginia workers in data center projects

Spanberger signed an executive order implementing many of the framework’s directives to agencies. The order also creates a task force that’s to monitor developments in AI for risks such as workforce displacement and AI-led attacks on consumer and business data privacy, and address those issues through executive and legislative action.

Many of the policies Spanberger introduced would have to be codified through legislation, and the governor said her office was working with members of the General Assembly.

“The policies put forth in this framework are the highest standards in America,” Spanberger said.

Source