Data centers continue to pop up across Virginia. And residents in search of information are finding these projects are shrouded in secrecy. Often, that’s because of non-disclosure agreements.
Last year, Google paid $14 million to buy a 312-acre parcel in Botetourt County with apparent plans to build a data center. In September, the Western Virginia Water Authority approved two agreements to provide water to allow that project to move forward.
But when the Roanoke Rambler, a local news outlet, asked for the contracts, the water authority blocked out information about how much water the data center would use. So the Rambler took the authority to court. Rambler founder Henri Gendreau says the suit is about the right of citizens to know what their government is doing…