West Virginia Voters Will Decide Data Center Policy
The Neighbors, Not Servers Act proposes a moratorium on data centers requiring 20 megawatts or more of power.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Data Centers
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Democratic candidate Ace Parsi has introduced the Neighbors, Not Servers Act as a central platform for the November 2026 West Virginia 2nd Congressional District election. The proposed legislation would halt development of data centers exceeding 20 megawatts and impose daily fines of up to $1 million for non-compliant developers.
Why it matters
The proposal targets the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure in rural regions, which Parsi argues current power grids are not equipped to support. This debate highlights the growing tension between local environmental and utility capacity and the infrastructure demands of the data center industry.
The proposed moratorium targets facilities drawing 20 megawatts or more, a capacity level common for medium-sized hyperscale data centers. The act further mandates $1 million in daily fines for non-compliant construction and penalties for firms utilizing non-disclosure agreements to hide violations.
The players
Ace Parsi
A 44-year-old Democratic candidate for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District and former AmeriCorps worker.
Riley Moore
The Republican incumbent currently serving the West Virginia 2nd Congressional District.
The details
The Neighbors, Not Servers Act functions by creating a regulatory barrier against large-scale power consumption projects that may strain regional electrical grids. It specifically targets the "digital boomtown" trend where facilities connect directly to utility distribution systems without sufficient load-balancing oversight. Developers failing to meet the power moratorium would face significant financial penalties, while the bill also seeks to prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements meant to mask construction activity.
Timeline
January 2026: Ace Parsi announced his candidacy on MLK Day.
November 2026: Voters will decide the winner of the 2nd Congressional District election.
The Tech Race
The Neighbors, Not Servers Act follows a pattern of local grid-stability measures currently appearing in energy-intensive rural districts across the country. It marks a significant shift by elevating data center site-selection and power-consumption oversight from municipal zoning boards to federal policy.
The election in November 2026 will serve as a bellwether for how West Virginia residents weigh industrial digital growth against grid reliability. If enacted, the legislation would immediately pause any development project exceeding the 20-megawatt threshold until regulatory compliance is confirmed.
The takeaway
The race centers on whether legislative power should be used to curb industrial power usage in rural districts. Residents and developers should watch the November 2026 election results for shifts in regional energy-permitting requirements.
Further reading
For more on the challenges of balancing compute demands and regional energy infrastructure, visit Data Centers.
More information
Review the full legislative platform on the Official campaign website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Dominion Post.
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Should your local government place a moratorium on large-scale data center construction projects?
