The so-called data center capital of the world, Loudoun County, Virginia, may pause data center applications, site plans, and substation applications as it rewrites rules for the industry.
According to a press release, a motion introduced by Algonkian District Supervisor Juli Briskman passed last week during a Board of Supervisors meeting. The motion will see county staff return on September 15 with an agenda item establishing a pause together with legal analysis from the County Attorney’s Office.
“Data centers have become an increasingly important part of our local economy, but their unchecked sprawl has raised serious concerns about impacts on surrounding communities and the growing demands on our energy grid and natural resources,” said Briskman.
“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. 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.”
Loudoun County is home to over 250 data centers and 53 million square feet of data center development, more than double what the county recorded in 2021. While data centers generate more than US$ 1 billion in annual tax revenue for the county, their presence has made it significantly harder for other economic developments to find a footing, including housing projects. Data centers also create significant demand for new energy grid infrastructure.
“I have heard from residents across the county who want data center growth severely constrained or stopped entirely. Loudouners are tired of the visual and noise impacts, concerned about the continued expansion of energy infrastructure and rising utility costs, and worried about the air they breathe,” said Briskman.
The county has been pursuing action against data center developments since 2022, when Briskman began the Data Center Standards and Locations initiative after proposing a remapping project in 2021. Phase 1, completed in March 2025, changed the Zoning Ordinance to require data centers to obtain special exception approval, including a board vote. Phase 2, underway since September 2025, covers siting, substation policy, onsite power generation, battery storage, noise, building heights, and parking, and is due to finish in 2027.
While Loudoun County’s proposed pause has been in the works for many years, it comes after other jurisdictions in Virginia have officially paused new developments. Fluvanna County approved a moratorium in September 2025 while it considers changes to zoning regulations, and the Chesapeake City Council approved an eight-month pause on data center developments last week.
This month the state of New York hit pause on new hyperscale data center projects while it builds a regulatory framework that aims to protect ratepayers, the environment, the energy grid, and communities across the state. This framework would establish strong standards for data center developments with Governor Kathy Hochul also seeking to repeal sales tax exemptions for large data centers in the state.