Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
 
Board
Air Pollution Control Board
 
Guidance Document Change: DEQ Guidance Memo APG-578 addresses the use of emergency generators in the case of “sudden and reasonably unforeseeable events” as the result of a planned electric outage.
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12/2/25  12:39 pm
Commenter: Anonymous

Opposition to proposed expanded emergency diesel generator use
 

As data centers have proliferated through Virginia, it's become increasingly obvious that a) they don't produce many jobs beyond a couple of technicians per site and b) residents across the state largely do not want to live near them, in part due to air quality concerns. As such, VDEQ should not allow for emergency generator use during planned outages. The agency's previous position - that advanced notice allows facilities to secure power throughout - is correct and should be upheld. Especially since northern Virginia already has issues with ozone attainment, facilities should not be permitted to release additional nitrogen oxides (a precursor to ozone formation) via diesel combustion when it is very much possible to avoid doing so. 

CommentID: 238270