Data Centers Next to Public Lands: Groups Raise Alarm Bells

April 6, 2026

As a major battleground in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Virginia is home to many important historical sites and public lands, with 22 areas managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Directly adjacent to the nation’s capital is also the world’s data center capital.

As data center construction has exploded in Northern Virginia (NOVA), this technological and commercial development has butted up against historic battlefields and other public lands. Across the country, many local communities have organized to oppose data centers, and historic preservation and conservation organizations in these areas of Virginia have joined that fight. Here’s what’s behind the debate in Virginia, and what it means for public lands more broadly.

Virginia, particularly NOVA, is home to 663 data centers in operation, with another 595 under construction or in the planning phase, according to a 2025 report. These facilities, which handle roughly 70% of the world’s internet traffic, use a huge amount of power. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission estimates that by 2035, the industry will require 11,000 MW, quadruple the amount it currently uses.

NOVA is an extremely densely populated region: Approximately one-third of the state’s 8.9 million residents live in 1.2% of its land area. This density and land scarcity mean that data centers, which require large areas of land, have to source and buy land wherever they can find it, setting the stage for a battle over historic sites. GEARJUNKIE