Power brokers
A bumper sticker seen decades ago: “Welcome to Virginia: owned and operated by VEPCO.” VEPCO became Virginia Power and then Dominion Energy, but it is still true. They have always been major campaign contributors to both political parties.
Dominion’s merger with NextEra Energy was submitted for approval by the Virginia SCC (whose chairwoman is a former NextEra attorney). It would create the world’s largest electric utility monopoly. I believe the merger would fail the legally-mandated “no harm to consumers” test.
NextEra wants to cash in on the unrestricted growth of tax-incented data centers. A single data center can consume more electricity than an entire city. Consulting firm ICF predicts data centers could increase an average American’s electricity bills by as much as 40% in the next five years.
Data centers currently planned throughout the U.S. will emit half as much greenhouse gases as all the passenger vehicles, according to data compiled by the Environmental Integrity Project. Diesel-powered data centers in Virginia are currently spewing air pollution, exacerbating chronic health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, lung cancer and strokes.
Data centers guzzle massive amounts of water. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reported that eastern Virginia’s groundwater is already nearly depleted.
There is growing bipartisan opposition to data centers.
Local government bans on data centers aren’t enough. The Virginia General Assembly should immediately rescind the existing $2 billion tax breaks and prohibit political contributions by utilities. New data centers should be required to produce their own clean energy (solar, wind or battery) and water (desalination).
Data centers will just go to other states, so Congress needs to enact similar laws nationwide.
David Campbell, Virginia Beach
Short-sighted
In 2002, Hampton Roads voters decided “no” to the road referendum. This was a proposed 1% increase in the sales tax collected in the seven cities of Hampton Roads. The tax collected would be used exclusively for building seven major highway projects; among them was the expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and Downtown, Midtown tunnel infrastructures — all to be toll-free. Then Gov. Mark Warner predicted dire consequences for the region if the referendum failed. As commuters today pay the hefty tolls, the cost is immeasurable to the region’s economic growth.
Once again, history repeats itself, as voters in many localities rejected the time-limited 1% increase in the sales tax for school construction. Our schools are aging and crumbling, with leaking roofs, outdated electrical systems, structural and HVAC deficiencies. The 1-penny tax would be a small price to pay to educate our most valued assets in a modern, high-tech-ready and efficient environment that is conducive to learning.
Unfortunately, the voters’ short-sightedness exacerbates the financial challenges ahead and will strain our local and state budgets. This could result in tax increases that will cost individuals considerably more than the failed referendum’s limited 1% sales tax increase.
Larry Hazelwood, Virginia Beach
Midterm elections
I have one word to describe Tuesday’s midterms: Halleluiah!
Patrick Blake, Virginia Beach
Next wave?
Lets think this through: Suppose “we the people” don’t agree with the job the Democrats do in the next two years? What are we going to do — elect a red wave to replace them in 2028?
We need better options.
Glenn Harris, Chesapeake
