I'm writing in support of HB507. Due to the noise and air pollution generators cause, it is imperative that the state legislature pass HB507 to protect its constituents' quality of life and pursuit of happiness. As a resident of Loudoun County, I see lots of data centers around me. In fact, I live next to one in Sterling; and, it has been causing a lot of headaches for the residents of my community. In May 2025, unbeknownst to me at the time, the data center had to turn on its generator due to a utility outage. The noise from the generator was so loud that night that I could barely sleep. One morning, I saw a black smoke coming from the data center as I was driving to work because they were using a generator. Those events are in addition to the high-pitched noise the residents had to suffer for months. State legislators should not view HB507 as a restriction on data center companies - HB507 is setting a framework to help data centers and residential communities coexist peacefully in Virginia. With the AI race in full swing amongst big tech companies, data center footprint will continue to grow in Loudoun County and beyond. Data centers are now often built next to residential communities. If there are no environmental legislations that hold data centers accountable and that state acceptable parameters of generator use, noise complaints and air pollution complaints will continue to grow as the friction between data centers and residents intensifies. Since HB507 sets air quality monitoring standards and spells out the allowable use of generators, it will reduce friction amongst stakeholders, increase transparency for residents, and hold data center companies accountable for the pollution it causes in the community. Thus, it behooves all state legislators to pass HB507.

It is really important for those of us living near a data center that the diesel generators be better regulated. I live in Sterling about 150 yards from a large data center that has numerous diesel generators. Since this data center became operation about a year ago, on several different occasions, these generators have run for days at a time. When they are turned on, they produce black smoke and make a loud noise. When the wind is blowing from the south, the smoke can be seen entering our neighborhood and the noise is intense. I can hear in my home through the windows. My neighbors and myself are concerned about the effects on our health. The noise has even disrupted our sleep at night. It is important that the sound and the exhaust pollution be monitored to ensure that the use of the generators be stopped when they are posing a health problem. Notifying nearby residents in advance when the diesel generators will be used is an important step as it will enable those residents with health issues, such as asthma, to leave their homes for safer areas. I have a short video of what the diesel generators look like when they are operating; one can hear the awful sound and hear the threatening smoke. I can share that with you, if you would like. Gregory Pirio, a resident of Sterling

Hello Delegates, I am writing in opposition of HB1396. This bill had been brought fourth by landowners groups that falsely claim to represent and maximize property owners rights when in fact they are property owners that want to end the tradition of hound hunting. This is proven by these groups comments on their own social media pages. These groups have made claim that only 8 states allow the use of hounds to hunt, a stat quoted by delegates in the subcommittee, that is simply a false statement, currently only 9 states allow hounds to be used to hunt deer but nearly every state allows the utilization of dogs to hunt other game species many not requiring an special license to do so. I ask the delegates to understand that the vast majority of the members of the hound hunting organizations are land owners as well in addition to all of the landowners who lease or allow hound hunting on their land support the tradition of hound hunting. This bill creates a permit allowing the DWR create and issue permits on a may issue criteria with visual permit requirements for hounds and vehicles. If Additional funding is needed to police game laws the bill should be amended to a license just like an archery or muzzleloading license that is a shall issue. Additionally the cost for said license should be reduced and required for all that utilize or partcipate in any type of hunting that utilizes a dog. Dogs are already required to have owner contact info on their collar and their vehicles have state issued license plates therefore marking is not necessary. Lastly the only ones who should be exempt from license purchase are those that utilize dogs to hunt on their own land. This simplifies the requirements and makes it fair for all parties. Basically if big game is harvested and checked in and the use of dogs is checked as a part of big game license registering process they should be required to have a dog hunting license or be exempt as a land owner. I hope that you find this as a reasonable comprise. Additionally there needs to be some sort of recourse for false complaints or accusations. If this bill continues as is it will create more tensions between those who utilize dogs to hunt and those who don't like the use of hunting dogs. False complaints will continue to increase cause additional hunter harassment and tension between hunters and those that oppose it. Thank you for your time. V/R, B. C. Bunch

Please support HB507. These backup generators that emit greenhouse gasses and noise need to be regulated.

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Plans for data centers in my locality have been announced within close proximity to both schools and residential areas, including within feet of some low-income neighborhoods. In addition, many residents where I live in Southwest Virginia already suffer from disproportionately high burdens of respiratory disease, including asthma and black lung disease, as a legacy from the region’s extractive economy. HB507 includes important safeguards that would help improve the transparency and responsible operation of data centers in localities like mine. I encourage you to support HB507.

Invasives should be pulled or killed by herbicide and not be permitted to be sold in nurseries