The governor of the US state of Virginia, home of the world’s largest data center market, is putting additional controls on digital infrastructure providers.

Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed an executive order to introduce the Data Center Accountability Framework, which her office says is “the most comprehensive and aggressive data center accountability effort” in America.

It bans non-disclosure agreements for data center projects, which have often been used to obfuscate details of companies building new campuses, and outlines plans for a review of the impact of backup generators, specifically those powered by diesel, which can have a polluting effect on communities.

The framework also calls for efforts to develop data center noise regulations to be expedited, and creates a data center planning and community engagement toolkit for local governments and communities.

An AI task force for Virginia will be created to address growing concerns and risks posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, including workforce displacement, data privacy, and cybersecurity.

Governor Spanberger, who took office earlier this year, said: “Virginia should be leading the nation in setting the highest standards for this industry. And now, I believe we are doing just that.

“Virginia’s Data Center Accountability Framework is about delivering a better deal for Virginians and holding data center companies, developers, and operators accountable. The framework is a thorough plan to end data center secrecy, protect our environment, lower energy costs for families, bolster our clean energy economy, and make sure Virginia workers have the protections and assurances they deserve.”

Governor Spanberger is the latest state politician to take action in the face of a growing backlash against data centers and AI across the US.

New York’s governor Kathy Hochul introduced a one-year moratorium in her state in July, citing concerns over power and water consumption, while in Texas, governor Greg Abbott has put a pause on all data center projects for the state while grid operator Ercot carries out a review of interconnection requests it has received.

Northern Virginia is the world’s busiest data center market, and has already seen restrictions introduced at a county level to slow down new projects in the area.

Prince William County is reducing the size of its by-right district for data centers, where projects are approved without the need for a full planning review, while neighboring Loudoun County has paused all new applications for 12 months.