As a concerned resident of Loudoun County, I am deeply troubled by the recent proposal to relax Data Center Diesel Regulations. This change would permit data centers to operate their backup diesel generators during the summer, resulting in the emission of significant amounts of greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants. The potential impact on our environment and the health of our community is something we cannot ignore.

The statistics are alarming: the state's estimates indicate that these generators can collectively emit nearly 93 tons of non-methane hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides per hour of runtime, along with almost 51 tons of carbon monoxide per hour. These pollutants are potent greenhouse gases and have detrimental effects on the air we breathe and our overall quality of life.

While data centers are crucial to maintaining the digital infrastructure of our world, the proposed change in regulations prioritizes short-term economic gains over the long-term health and well-being of our community. Diesel generators contribute significantly to air pollution, and their widespread use poses health risks, such as respiratory issues, aggravated asthma, and cardiovascular complications, among others.

We must recognize the importance of investing in cleaner, more sustainable energy sources to power our data centers. 

I urge my fellow residents to take a stand against this proposal by submitting feedback at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/Comments.cfm?generalnoticeid=2563. Let us voice our concerns and protect the health of our community, our environment, and future generations.

For more information on this issue, please read this news article: https://www.loudounnow.com/news/loudoun/plan-to-relax-data-center-diesel-regulations-narrowed-to-only-loudoun/article_2c6e2e20-c81e-11ed-9aec-5bbb66dbc8be.html