Roanoke Mayor Joe Cobb has asked Botetourt County to give the city 15% of the annual tax revenue generated by the future Google data center and to replace the water that will be used by the project, citing Roanoke’s “historic contribution” to the regional water authority and fears that the data center’s water demands could have a negative impact on recreation at Carvins Cove.
Botetourt County says it already planned to do all those things. The board of supervisors this month approved a plan for water replacement, and the county has paid $450,000 to the Western Virginia Water Authority to start that process. That plan was a “good neighbor policy” on Botetourt’s part and has been in the works since early this year, said Gary Larrowe, Botetourt County administrator.
“Roanoke County and the city gave their facilities to the water authority, and so once you become a member you should have access to those resources that are for a combined member,” Larrowe said Wednesday. “However, we also realize that we needed to actually make sure that there is a water supply in the future.”…