Veterans and Environmentalists Demand Data Center Moratoriums
Veterans for Public Lands and Virginia environmental groups launched separate campaigns on November 11 demanding pauses on data center development to protect public lands and resources.
On November 11, 2026, two distinct campaigns launched to halt the expansion of data centers across the United States. Veterans for Public Lands initiated a national effort calling for an immediate moratorium on new data center development on federal public lands. The group urged the United States Department of the Interior to pause projects until safeguards for environmental review and Tribal consultation are established, citing the Townsite Data Center project in Nevada as an example of inadequate oversight.
Simultaneously, a coalition of over a dozen environmental and community organizations unveiled the Pause to Protect platform in Hanover County, Virginia. This group is seeking a statewide moratorium on data center permitting and construction to protect the electrical grid, air, and waterways. While some lawmakers have promised legislation for the 2027 session, Governor Abigail Spanberger has stated she does not support a moratorium.
The Data Center Coalition opposed the Virginia proposal, arguing that a statewide pause would cause the state to lose high-wage jobs and tax revenue. However, advocacy groups like the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County maintain that urgency is required to end nondisclosure agreements and prevent rising electric bills for residents.
