In Episode 4 of The Briefing Room, we continue our five-part energy series with a closer look at one of the fastest-growing and most controversial issues facing state and local governments: data centers. Host Dom Butchko is joined by Joe Lerch, Director of Local Government Policy with the Virginia Association of Counties, to break down what data centers are, why Northern Virginia became the center of the industry, and what Maryland policymakers can learn from Virginia’s experience. The conversation explores the economic promises, infrastructure pressures, and public policy questions that come with data center growth as demand for AI and cloud computing continues to accelerate.

JLARC Data Center Report
VACo Podcast w/ JLARC Report Lead Aruthor.
VACo Energy Landscape of Virginia Series
Virginia Biennial Data Center Retail Sales and Use Tax Exemption Report – January 2, 2026

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