Richmond-area General Assembly members got an earful Monday night from constituents concerned about the financial and environmental impacts of data centers.

“I know every time I open a Dominion bill, I literally squeeze my hand,” said Harry Watkins, who moderated the post-legislative session town hall with local delegates and senators. The event, held at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, drew about 50 people.

Lawmakers answered by pointing to legislation that would make data centers directly responsible for more infrastructure and peak-usage costs that had been getting passed to other customers. The changes are estimated to lower residential customers’ bills by 3.4%, while increasing bills for data centers by 15%, according to Inside Climate News.

In response to concerns about water usage, lawmakers noted that the General Assembly also passed legislation that will require water utilities to begin reporting how much water data centers are using.  

“We are holding data centers accountable for paying their fair share,” Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico.

But Bagby also said he wouldn’t place too much blame on the industry, arguing data centers create jobs and meet public demand for AI and other tech products. “Who’s using the data? We are,” he said.

The industry is at the center of a still unresolved budget standoff between Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the House and the Senate, in which the Senate proposes eliminating nearly $1 billion in tax breaks for the industry – an approach opposed by the House.

Bagby downplayed the disagreement. “We’re all just trying to get it right,” he said.

GRTC’s zero-fare program was also the subject of “quite a bit of concern” in questions submitted ahead of the forum, said Watkins.

Del. Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, expressed confidence that GRTC will be able to continue the program.

“Free fare is fully funded through June of this year and they are also planning to, and have started to do, some private and philanthropic fundraising for that,” she said.

Contact Reporter Ned Oliver at noliver@richmonder.org. Dominion Energy is a sponsor of The Richmonder but was not allowed to influence or review this story.