Virginia’s Loudoun County, the data center capital of the world, is considering enacting a moratorium on new data center applications.

A motion that could potentially lead to the imposition of a moratorium was successfully proposed by Supervisor Juli E. Briskman at the county board of supervisors meeting on Wednesday, July 22.

It will require county staff to research the legality of a moratorium, as well as present an item establishing a pause at an upcoming board of supervisors meeting on September 15.

“Loudoun became the data center capital of the world in large part because data center development occurred with little oversight and before the full impacts were studied or understood,” said Briskman.

“This pause would offer the County an opportunity to conduct its due diligence and establish appropriate policies, regulations, and standards so that we can better protect our communities and natural resources.”

The motion was passed in a 6-1 vote. The only supervisor to oppose the vote said that “I cannot imagine we would not be sued if this were passed in September.”

Loudoun planners reject 3.25 million sq ft campus

The county’s planning commission also rejected an application to build a 3.25 million sq ft (301,935 sqm) data center on Thursday 23 July, yielding to concerns about data center expansion in the county.

The proposed Spring Valley Technology Park would have required the rezoning of around 325 acres of land at the east side of Evergreen Mills Road, south of Reservoir Road, west of Beaverdam Drive, and north of Ryan Road for the construction of 12 data center buildings, three utility substations, and “utility-scale energy storage use.”

New York-based data center developer Active Infrastructure has been eyeing the project since October 2024.

Active Infrastructure was founded by Jeffrey Zygler, previously a partner at real estate investment and management company Dermody Properties and president of development at KTR Capital Partners.