LETTER: Pre-stated “findings” invalidate data center land report

June 16, 2022

The County has posted a Targeted Industry Land Needs Analysis from Camoin Associates on its Prince William Digital Gateway website.  The County hopelessly prejudiced this report with its own pre-conceived and disproven premises.  The scope of work provided to the prospective contractor stated: “The Department of Economic Development calculates that as of July 30, 2021, there were approximately 90 to 830 acres of market viable land remained in the DCOZ that can be developed for data centers.”

 

I wonder if whoever was soliciting this “study” thought they were playing Jeopardy when they gave the contractor their desired answer before asking the question.  The resulting report contains tainted information, packaged at taxpayer expense, and presented to the public as independent analysis designed to bolster bankrupt arguments for unnecessary development.    

 

On May 27th, I asked Chair Ann Wheeler to explain the improper solicitation of this report.  How can the County claim to be objectively studying this issue when its biases are clearly apparent and public input is treated as an annoyance to be suffered through?  There has been no feedback provided from community engagement meetings and future project milestones are undermined by the promotion of this sham report.   

 

The Department of Economic Development, which requested the Camoin report, has advocated for this project from the outset and its obvious “finger on the scale” should disqualify it as a source of trustworthy information. 

 

How many more curveballs like this must our citizens fight off?  The deception is failing.  Try truth for a change. 

 

Bill Wright

Gainesville

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