Live near an AI data center? A new study warns one Virginia site could lead to premature deaths in the community — here's how to stay safe

long with wineries, equestrian farms and George Washington's estate, Virginia's known for being the data center capital of the country, with at least 665 facilities servicing major companies including Google, Amazon, Oracle and Meta (1).

It's a Vantage data center, however, in Loudoun County — dubbed "Data Center Alley" — that's raising particular concerns after a recent study by the Piedmont Environmental Council found that emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from its 51 diesel generators and eight natural gas turbines could lead to 3.4–6.5 premature deaths a year and result in almost $100 billion in "health-related damages" (2) per year. Premature deaths are projected to climb up to 33 over five years, and to almost 200 over 30 years, while the health costs could balloon to nearly $3 billion.

"Scientific evidence links exposure to PM2.5 with a wide range of adverse health outcomes, including asthma exacerbation, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and premature death," the study says. The analysis cautioned that "children, asthmatics and older adults with pre-existing heart and lung conditions" are among those at highest risk (3).

And it's not just those who live near the data center bearing the health risk. A 2025 Caltech/UC Riverside study found that air pollutants like PM2.5 "can travel hundreds of miles through a dispersion process" (4).

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