Overview
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced the framework Friday and signed an executive order that directs state agencies to begin implementing parts of the plan immediately.
- The order would ban non‑disclosure agreements that have limited public oversight of new data center projects and push fast action on noise regulations.
- The administration ordered a review of diesel and other backup generators used by data centers and said those findings will shape proposed legislation next year.
- Spanberger framed the package as one of the most comprehensive and aggressive state efforts nationwide and tied the rules to oversight of infrastructure that supports AI workloads.
- Many substantive changes will require approval by the Virginia General Assembly, and the move follows recent local limits on new builds and prior state steps including a first‑of‑its‑kind tax on data center energy use.