Google seeks permit for Chesterfield data center that could affect

Google has filed a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit request to build a three‑building data center campus on roughly 350 acres in western Chesterfield County, a project that could disturb 4.8 acres of wetlands and over 2,800 feet of stream channels [1]. The filing, part of “Project Loch,” is the clearest public look yet at the second Google data center in the county and is open for public comment through June 11.

The site, located west of Route 288 and south of Route 60 between Otterdale Road and Old Hundred Road, would include three substations, utility infrastructure and storm‑water facilities [2]. Google says it chose Chesterfield for its workforce, available land, reliable power and “adequate water supply,” and the county’s Board of Supervisors praised the expected economic impact and tax revenue when the project was announced last year [1]. In its permit application, Google redesigns the campus to avoid about 74 % of the wetlands, but the remaining impact would stem from construction, drainage systems and access roads, with the company proposing off‑site wetland restoration to offset the damage [1].

Environmental concerns also extend to the historic Dry Bridge Cemetery that sits on the property; consultants warned the area could contain unmarked graves and recommended a 25‑foot buffer and further investigation [1]. Neither Google nor Chesterfield officials have directly addressed the potential burial site, though a Google spokesperson told Axios the project is still in the “early” due diligence stage and that designs will be adjusted based on site evaluations [1].

The permit filing adds to Google’s broader $9 billion Virginia expansion, which already includes projects dubbed “Project Skye” in Moseley, “Project Peanut” near Meadowville, and a 181‑acre campus in Bristow approved in 2024 [2]. The company operates a cloud region in Virginia launched in 2017 and has added facilities in Loudoun (2021) and Prince William (2023) counties [2].

If approved, the campus would bolster Google’s capacity to meet rising AI and data‑processing demand, but the pending review under the Clean Water Act highlights the tension between tech growth and local environmental stewardship. The outcome of the Corps’ review and the community’s response by the June 11 deadline will shape whether the project proceeds as planned or requires further mitigation.