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Residents tell Wythe supervisors data centers threaten local water supplies
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Summary
Multiple residents told the Wythe County Board of Supervisors they oppose proposed data‑center projects, citing drought, low aquifer levels, and large water‑withdrawal estimates; they called for the county to rescind prior votes welcoming data centers and for clearer answers from county staff and companies.
At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, several Wythe County residents urged supervisors to reconsider local support for large data‑center projects and to be transparent about water use and environmental protections.
Andy Kebley, who said his farm sits on the headwaters of Meadow Run, described severely reduced flows and three dried fish ponds, told the board a local well driller told him the water table is down about 60 feet, and said he’d observed ledges exposed in Reed Creek and the New River earlier than normal. Kebley said prior local resolutions had contemplated diverting about 6,000,000 gallons per day from the New River for a proposed project colloquially called 'BlueStar' and argued rescinding any local welcome votes should be considered to protect local water resources.
Stacy Beam said she has tracked media reports about data centers and asked county officials to show residents proof that Solus Arc (also referenced in public remarks as 'Solis Arc') is legitimate, that it will protect the environment, and that it will use closed‑loop cooling rather than withdrawing large quantities of water. She said residents have been asking questions for months without full answers and warned that continued silence erodes trust.
Catherine Clemons said she and many in Wythe County oppose the 'plague' of data centers in rural communities and said the county had 'sold us out' to a corporation that would harm local resources and drive away young people who want to stay. Multiple speakers urged the board to prioritize long‑term water sustainability over short‑term revenue projections.
County context: county staff later reiterated the county’s difficult budget picture — including a projected multi‑million‑dollar shortfall — and noted that data‑center projects have been discussed as a potential source of business personal property tax revenue. Officials also said the revenue is mainly business‑personal‑property (debt revenue) and that any local benefits must be weighed against infrastructure and resource risks.
What residents want: speakers asked for detailed information on projected water usage, closed‑loop systems, corporate legitimacy and environmental protections; they requested meetings and evidence rather than repeated promises. Officials offered follow‑up meetings with VDOT and staff on road projects and said staff would continue to provide information on projects that could affect county finances and resources.
The board did not take a formal vote on data‑center policy during the meeting; the topic remained in the public‑comment record and was raised later in budget deliberations as a projected source of revenue.
