Audacious Nimby

Dominion Energy came before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors with a warning: approve this substation or expect unpredictable blackouts. Read that again. The utility that serves one of the largest data center markets on Earth just admitted the grid cannot keep up with what PWC has already approved. So what is the Board doing about it? On Tuesday, July 7th, they take up a new Comprehen...

THIS IS THE FIGHT. The next 60 days will determine what Prince William County looks like for generations. Two massive development threats are coming before the Board of Supervisors — and if we lose either one, there's no going back. 🏭 JUNE — Another massive data center is maybe heading to the Board of Supervisors. More industrialization. More strain on our community. Same story, different day. 🌿...

Prince William County sits at the center of the largest data center expansion in the world — but behind the promises of economic growth lies a story few people have heard. After residents in the Greater Oak community reported relentless noise inside their homes, the county launched what may be the most comprehensive data center noise study ever conducted. Over two years. More than $1 million spent...

What does it actually look like to build a community the right way? In this episode of Audacious NIMBY, we dive into the legacy of Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, and explore how one city chose a different path. While much of America chased sprawl and short-term growth, Charleston focused on something deeper. Beauty. Walkability. Strong neighborhoods. A real sense of place. We unpac...

What happens when ordinary people take on one of the most powerful industries in the world… and win? This is the untold story of the Digital Gateway in Prince William County—a project that would have become the largest data center complex on the planet. Backed by massive money, powerful interests, and behind-the-scenes deals, it seemed unstoppable. Until the community fought back. In this podcast,...

A new mega AI data center, “Cosmos”, has just been filed in Catharpin, Virginia, and it’s unlike anything the region has seen. Think gas turbines, sprawling power lines, and diesel generators—all proposed next to homes and a national park. In Episode 8 of Audacious NIMBY, we dive into what may become the defining land use battle of the year. This episode covers the major coalition event hosted by...

🔥 New Episode: Audacious NIMBY 🔥 We cannot say no to any development… apparently. In our most explosive episode yet, we break down last week’s Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting — and this one had everything: ⚡ Drama ⚡ Visions being declared ⚡ A flag firmly planted ⚡ Condescending comments from board members ⚡ The “King of Yes” officially crowned And if that wasn’t enough… t...

In Prince William County, something unusual is happening. Large-scale land assemblages are taking place across thousands of acres in the western part of the county. Assemblages are typically when developers combine multiple properties into one large tract for development. But what’s raising eyebrows here is who is organizing them. In many cases, current or former politicians are involved in offeri...

In Episode 5, we welcome our first guest, Elena Schlossberg of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, for an in-depth conversation about the future of PWC. We discuss the issues shaping our community right now, including data centers, the Digital Gateway proposal, rural land protection, water resources, and what responsible growth should really look like. This episode explores what is at...

🎙️ Prince William County Will Never Disappoint – The Most Eventful Two Weeks Yet If you thought Prince William County politics couldn’t get any more dramatic… think again. The past two weeks have been nothing short of historic. We saw surprising results in a special election that caught many insiders off guard and reshaped the political conversation overnight. What happened? Who turned out? And wh...

Thank you for joining the Audacious Nimby cause. My name is Patrick Harders.  Our mission is to protect our area from reckless data center sprawl and housing sprawl. We want to see smart growth and preservation.  The Digital Gateway and "Cosmos, the first and second largest data centers, threaten to destroy our community. Join me and our community as we continue to fight back!

Prince William County, you are a special place. Western Prince William is a historically significant area with strong, connected communities. In this episode, we remind everyone why this place matters. We cannot accept any development simply because it is proposed. We must be selective and decisive about what our community becomes. Now is the moment to decide. Are we willing to bulldoze homes and...

The election of Margaret Franklin to Virginia’s House District 23 has created a rare and fleeting opportunity in Prince William County. For the first time in a long time, the Board of County Supervisors now holds a majority that ran on stopping sprawl, including data centers, endless housing creep, and the quiet erosion of open space. That window will not stay open long. With an unexpected vacancy...