Scope
Virginia Executive Order 22 (2026) directs implementation of a Virginia Data Center Accountability Framework led by the Office of the Chief Energy Officer, including a local planning and community engagement toolkit within 120 days, a prohibition on executive branch agencies entering into or enforcing nondisclosure agreements that prevent disclosure of material information about proposed commercial data center developments, development of VA-LEAD designation criteria by the end of 2027, exclusion of new data center projects of 25 MW or more from state site-readiness and expedited-review programs, and Department of Environmental Quality work on data center noise rules and backup-generation impacts. It binds executive branch agencies, not private operators directly.
- Geographic scope
- Virginia
- Jurisdiction
- State
- Authority type
- Executive
- Issuing authority
- Governor of Virginia
Dates
- Adopted
- 18 September 2026
- Effective
- 18 September 2026
- Scheduled expiration
- See completion condition
- Ended
- Not recorded as ended
- Completion condition
- The order remains in force unless amended or rescinded by further executive order. The 120-day, 180-day and end-of-2027 dates are deliverable deadlines.
- Source document
- 18 September 2026
- Last checked
- 23 September 2026 (earlier than tracker date 5 October 2026; not an automatic status change)
Summary
Virginia Executive Order 22, signed on 18 September 2026 and effective on signing, launches a Data Center Accountability Framework. It names the Office of the Chief Energy Officer as lead, orders a community engagement toolkit for localities, bars executive branch agencies from new nondisclosure agreements that hide material information about proposed data center projects, excludes new 25 MW+ data center projects from state site-readiness and expedited-review programs, and directs work on noise rules and backup-generator impacts. The same order creates an artificial intelligence task force, which is not part of this record.
What this does not establish
- The order directs state agencies; the toolkit, VA-LEAD criteria and noise rules it calls for did not yet exist on the review date.
- The artificial intelligence task force and the rescission of earlier executive orders on artificial intelligence are outside this record.
- Existing nondisclosure agreements are expected to be honored under the order.
Unresolved questions
None recorded.
Relationships
Supersession means a later instrument replaces the earlier legal effect. Repeal links identify the repeal instrument and the measure it ends. A later implementation or related letter is not treated as a replacement unless the record says so.
- No related action is recorded.
Sources
https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/eo/eo-22-establishing-va-data-center-accountability-and-ai-initiatives.pdf