Poll Shows Overwhelming Majority of Virginians Want More Oversight and Controls on Data Center Industry
For Immediate Release:
Monday, June 22, 2026
Contacts:
Blair St. Ledger-Olson | Director of Advocacy & Campaigns
Michael Town | Executive Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(703) 203-5787 | blair@valcv.org
(804) 319-6083 | mtown@valcv.org
RICHMOND – The Virginia League of Conservation Voters released a poll today conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP) that shows 72% of Virginians believe the data center industry needs more regulation and oversight. Despite months of debate, this poll comes as the Virginia state legislature’s proposed 2026 budget failed to require basic clean energy or community standards in return for lucrative sales and tax exemptions for the data center industry.
Despite growing concerns from communities across the Commonwealth about the impacts of large-scale data center development on water resources, energy demand, air quality, public health, and land use, lawmakers missed a critical opportunity to enact reforms that would better protect Virginians and the natural resources they depend upon.
Highlights of the PPP poll include:
65% of respondents said they would oppose a large data center being built in their community;
59% believe that data centers should not be allowed to power their facilities with on-site polluting fuels like methane gas or diesel generators; and,
88% believe local governments should not keep secret details about data center projects from the public, despite numerous local officials signing non-disclosure agreements with the industry;
71% believe that data center construction should be paused if lawmakers decide to study what’s needed to protect ratepayers and the environment.
“Virginians are tired of their lawmakers providing massive tax breaks to the data center industry without clear consumer, community and clean energy guardrails,” said Virginia LCV Executive Director Michael Town. “The legislature’s proposed deal fails to make meaningful progress on community protections, clean energy and electric rates that voters were promised on the campaign trail.
One clear area of public support, clean energy:
54% said they would be “more likely” to support a project that was required to protect water and land resources and required to be powered by clean energy.
“The public wants their government to act now, and protect them from the damage this industry is doing to their wallets and their communities, said VALCV Director of Advocacy and Campaigns, Blair St. Ledger-Olson.“If the Virginia legislature delays action, we call on Governor Spanberger to stand up for the people and pause all data center permitting until lawmakers enact reasonable and meaningful standards and controls.”
Despite the legislature deciding to study the issue further and delay action until 2027, the poll shows that Virginians want action now:
51% “think guardrails should be enacted now” while only 31% believe there should be a six month study on guardrails.
The full poll results can be found attached at this link. PPP interviewed 687 registered voters in Virginia on June 18-19, 2026. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.7%. 65% of interviews were conducted by text and 35% by landline.
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
VirginiaLCV June 2026 Data Center Poll Results
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