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DATA CENTER ALLY / COURSE 04

Community Impacts

Jobs, tax revenue, land use, noise, and infrastructure.

4 lessons · About 10–15 minutes

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LESSON 01 / 04

Count jobs consistently

Construction work, ongoing employees, contractors, and modeled supplier jobs are different categories. They may occur in different places and at different times. For example, 20 people working for two years represents 40 job-years, not 40 simultaneous positions.

Ask for the category, employer, location, duration, and local-hiring commitment behind each claim.

Check your understanding

Does 40 job-years mean 40 people working at once?

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

Course source library

Original research and public resources for further reading. Local permits, utility agreements, and current job requirements provide the details for your situation.

Virginia JLARC — Data Centers in Virginia (2024)jlarc.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)U.S. DOE — Energy-efficient data center designenergy.gov (opens in a new tab)

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