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Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order addressing data centers and AI risks.Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order addressing data centers and AI risks.by Lauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerSenior Policy ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren FeinerSep 18, 2026, 6:29 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: Win McNamee / Getty ImagesPart OfAll the latest updates on AI data centerssee all updates Lauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren Feiner is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform.Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered the state government to take steps that could empower local communities to have a larger say in data center development and slow down approvals in a state that is already home to the data center capital of the world.Executive Order 22 bans executive branch officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects, requires expedited noise regulations, and requires a review of backup-generation operations used by data centers, among other requirements. The order also establishes an AI task force responsible for evaluating how the state government can address risks to Virginians like workforce displacement and data privacy issues, and determining how existing law can be applied to AI harms.The order represents the latest signal that states are taking data center and AI policy into their own hands as Congress and President Donald Trump have been slow or resistant to sweeping changes. Also on Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order convening experts to tackle AI safety issues, and earlier, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have both taken executive action to rein in rapid data center development.In addition to Virginia’s new executive order, Spanberger unveiled a new “Data Center Accountability Framework” for the state, which lays out additional priorities. These include eliminating “by-right approval,” like the kind that existed in Loudoun County for many years allowing developers to build on certain land without additional approvals, removing some state subsidies, establishing environmental guardrails, and safeguarding residents against increased energy prices that are associated with data centers.A press release for the actions includes many statements from environmental groups praising Spanberger’s approach, but others reportedly wish she’d gone even further. Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), for example, is a nonprofit that has advocated for a moratorium on new development to deal with existing concerns, and PEC president Chris Miller said in a statement that “It largely addresses standards on new data centers and does not deal with what’s already built and in the pipeline, along with the ongoing impacts piling up in communities now.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Lauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerSenior Policy ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren FeinerAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIEnergyCloseEnergyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EnergyNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceMore in: All the latest updates on AI data centersThe AI data center e-waste problem is huge — and getting biggerJustine CalmaSep 16I need your help for Installer!Jay PetersSep 16This week in the big AI data center buildout.Jay PetersSep 16Most PopularMost PopularThe Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable eraThe 2.5-hour AI-generated Odyssey movie is 2.5 hours too longThe iPhone 18 Pro’s big camera update is all about the small gainsVideoInside the suddenly explosive world of AI safetyYour robotaxi might be a narcThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Virginia governor, Abigail Spanberger, implemented an executive order addressing data center risks and artificial intelligence, signaling a trend where states are actively shaping their policies concerning these critical infrastructure and technological domains, particularly given Virginia's status as a data center capital. This executive order introduced several specific measures aimed at local empowerment and regulatory oversight in the data center sector. Among these requirements, the order prohibits executive branch officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects, mandates expedited noise regulations, and requires a review of backup-generation operations utilized by these facilities. Furthermore, the order established an AI task force tasked with evaluating how the state government can mitigate risks to Virginians, specifically addressing workforce displacement and data privacy concerns related to AI, and determining the applicability of existing laws to AI-related harms.

In addition to the executive order, the governor unveiled a new Data Center Accountability Framework designed to enhance state priorities. This framework aims to dismantle practices such as by-right approval, which allowed developers to build on certain land without additional authorizations, and seeks to remove some state subsidies associated with data center development. The framework also establishes environmental guardrails and mechanisms to protect residents from the increased energy price volatility often linked to data centers. While environmental groups expressed support for the governor's approach, some organizations, such as the Piedmont Environmental Council, noted that the framework primarily addresses standards for new data centers rather than dealing comprehensively with the impacts of existing infrastructure and ongoing community impacts. These actions reflect a broader movement where state governments are taking proactive regulatory control over large-scale technological developments like data centers and the emerging field of artificial intelligence, diverging from slower or more resistant federal and presidential actions.