By Bella Walser
Publication Date: 2026-02-08 00:24:00
BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Residents have been expressing frustration over a lack of clear information regarding the proposed Google data center in Botetourt County.
This Saturday, folks finally received some clarity during a question-and-answer session with Michael McEvoy, executive director of the Western Virginia Water Authority.
Sean Koppel, an organizer with the Southwestern Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance, said, “It’s a little frustrating addressing local officials and being told that, well, I’m not able to fix anything, you need to go to a different department. At a certain point, you start to wonder who has the answer and who can do anything?”
McEvoy acknowledged the community’s concerns, saying, “It’s kind of different for us and I think nice to see that people are concerned about their water and they’re asking questions.”
In September, the water authority approved providing water from Carvins Cove for the first part of the project, while future…