Ben Cline on Data Centers: Does Not Compute
Cardinal News reports that Congressman Cline and Democratic candidate Beth Macy agree
we need a moratorium on data center construction. Virginia leads in expansion of data
centers, which use enormous amounts of water and electricity.
Some localities have made non-disclosure agreements with data centers, keeping permitting conditions secret. Democratic Governor Spanberger banned NDAs between data centers and state agencies, and wants to limit the centers’ impacts.
Beth Macy opposes data centers in Botetourt and Roanoke Counties.
Cline’s September 23 newsletter highlighted his vote for the Ratepayer Protection Act to limit environmental and economic impacts of data centers.
The Senate defeated this bill on September 30. Did Ben know in advance that the bill would
fail? Was the newsletter deliberately misleading?
Cline’s record is pro-data center. He supported Trump’s Big [Ugly] Budget Bill in 2025. Data
centers benefit from industrial development provisions in this law.
In the General Assembly, Cline voted with the majority in 2008, 2010, and 2016 for data
center tax breaks.
What is Ben Cline’s real position? Voters must decide.
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The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley warns that data centers are permitted “by right” in
industrial zones in Augusta County. Residents and the Board of Supervisors could be
blindsided until a data center is a done deal.
A data center ordinance has been on the Board’s “to do” list for a year.
The Alliance urges Augusta residents to contact their supervisors immediately. The Board
meets on October 14 to consider a data center ordinance.
Reese Bull
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