Name: Data Center Environmental Impact Research Award

Years Awarded:

Type Awarded: Grant and Scholarship

Details: In 2026, the Foundation awarded the Data Center Environmental Impact Research Award to support student-led research examining the scale, siting, and potential environmental impacts of large data center developments across Virginia. The research will be conducted during Summer 2026 by a team of University of Mary Washington students under the supervision of Professor Eric Bonds. Building on prior work from the Piedmont Environmental Coalition, the research team will identify the twelve largest data centers in the state, ranked by anticipated electricity consumption, and investigate the cooling methods and associated water use for each facility. The team will also identify nearby schools, residences, parks, and sensitive environmental features located in proximity to these sites. Additional research will evaluate the zoning and approval processes for each project, including the level of public involvement. A content analysis of local news coverage will be conducted to assess the extent to which potential environmental impacts were communicated to the public prior to project approval. This award advances the Foundation’s charitable mission by supporting independent, student-led research and increasing public understanding of the environmental implications of large-scale data center development.

Status: Ongoing: Students from UMW will begin research and data collection in summer of 2026.