Judge Rules Against Data Center Campus on Historic Second Manassas Battlefield

(Manassas, Va.) — Today, a major victory in the fight against what would be the largest data center complex in the world, located on part of the historic Second Manassas Battlefield. Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving ruled in favor of the Oak Valley Homeowners Association’s claims a lame duck Board of Supervisors in Prince William County improperly approved the rezoning for the Prince William Digital Gateway. Those rezonings—which were approved with insufficient review of data center impacts, gave inadequate public notice and included unlawful waivers of key analyses— have been voided by today’s ruling. 

“Today’s ruling is a major milestone in our efforts to protect the Manassas Battlefield, demonstrating the merit of our claims that a lame duck Board of Supervisors acted inappropriately, and with insufficient public notice, in its haste to rezone the Prince William Digital Gateway,” said American Battlefield Trust President David N. Duncan. “We also want to recognize the determination of the members of the Oak Valley Homeowners Association, who had the courage to stand up against this colossal menace to their homes and the historic battlefield.” 

The American Battlefield Trust and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County are currently involved in a parallel lawsuit which makes many of the same arguments that the judge ruled in favor of today.  Former Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen is the lead counsel in this parallel suit. 

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 60,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states, including 387 acres on the Manassas battlefield. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.