A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 10.1-1308.2, relating to Department of Environmental Quality; data centers; use of emergency generation unit; disclosure requirements.
HB154 would add a new section to the Code of Virginia requiring the Department of Environmental Quality to impose public disclosure obligations on data centers that use emergency generation units. The bill defines key terms such as “data center,” “emergency,” and “emergency generation unit,” and focuses on stationary internal combustion engines used only during emergencies, maintenance, or testing.
Under the bill, each data center operating an emergency generation unit would have to report on a publicly accessible website, within 24 hours, the times when the unit has been or will be in operation. The measure is aimed at increasing transparency around when backup generators at data centers are used, particularly during outages or other emergency conditions.
The bill would create a new reporting requirement in Title 10.1 governing environmental regulation and would direct the Department of Environmental Quality to oversee public disclosure by data centers. It would not ban emergency generator use, but it would require timely online reporting of generator operations, affecting data center operators and potentially giving regulators, local governments, and the public more visibility into backup power use and associated emissions or noise impacts.
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented floor debate or recorded vote sentiment to assess. Procedurally, the bill was left in the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources, which indicates it did not advance from committee during the available legislative history.
Because there are no transcripts or votes, specific points of contention are not documented in the record provided. Based on the bill’s subject matter, likely areas of concern would include the administrative burden of rapid reporting on data center operators, the scope of DEQ’s enforcement role, and whether public disclosure of generator use is sufficient or overly burdensome. Supporters would likely emphasize transparency and environmental oversight, while opponents might focus on compliance costs and operational flexibility for data centers during emergencies.