Latest news with #Manassas
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
'We're not just gonna roll over': The US Civil War battlefield at the centre of a new conflict
The US state of Virginia saw some 50% of the nation's Civil War casualties. Now, mass construction of AI data centres is encroaching on historic lands, the environment and local communities. As the gunner of the Bull Run Legion lifts the explosive charge from its container and carries it up to the cannon, dozens of phones are lifted from pockets. Visitors open camera apps and raise devices high, focusing in on the handful of blue-uniformed men as they swab the gun's barrel with an era-appropriate sponge fastened to a stick. The cannon blasts its shot out into the air, and in the same moment, each phone fires its parcel of data at the cloud, landing in a data centre where banks of diligent servers sort, clean and route it along. On 21 July 1861, Union soldiers defending the United States watched over the crest of the same hills now framed on tourists' smartphones, as rebelling Confederate forces charged out of the forest in the first major battle of the American Civil War. A century and a half later, the Bull Run Legion, a group of "living historians" (better-known as re-enactors), still gather at Manassas National Battlefield Park using historic techniques and uniforms to commemorate that struggle. But today, the march of technology has turned this historic landmark into the scene of a new kind of battle. Technology companies are planning to erect one of the largest data centres in the world here at Manassas, Virginia, on the very ground where the Union army lost the war's first major land battle. Demand for data centres has skyrocketed as the artificial intelligence (AI) industry blossoms – but experts and advocates say the race for technological growth could threaten resources including water, energy and land. Some experts foresee a "growing crisis" for residents and future generations. The concerns aren't just practical, however – some fear building data centres too close to national landmarks could erase history and bury the lessons the Civil War has for future generations. "Do I want to see a data centre on the view line of this park? No, I do not. But do I recognise, since I worked in IT, that they're necessary? Yeah, I can get that. So there is no easy answer," Bart Wheeler, one of the living historians who works the cannon, tells the BBC. "Any interested citizen has to be worried." Those building the data centres disagree with these concerns and say they are taking steps to ensure the development is respectful of the historical context, even planning new information kiosks and trails around the site. Now, around 150 years after the Union army fought to protect this land in the 19th Century, a coalition of community advocates, environmentalists and history buffs are waging a differenty kind of war against an industry they say is steamrolling past their interests. It's a conflict with global repercussions. 'Data centre alley' The infrastructure which makes the internet work often lives in massive windowless buildings ringed by high black fences. Inside, stacked banks of computer servers receive signals and crunch numbers from devices around the world, providing the technical horsepower that allows for viral videos, cheeky text messages and more recently, untold numbers of AI queries. Data centres process our most intimate thoughts and transactions, but they're seldom seen by most users – that is, unless they're your neighbour. Around the world, the sprawling footprint of data centre development and their demands on resources have made this aspect of our digital lives more visible and controversial, particularly as the AI era sparks meteoric growth. "Customer demand remains very strong, driven by the digitalisation of the economy and AI revolution," says Karen Cohen, a spokesperson for QTS Data Centers, one of two companies seeking to build the massive Prince William Digital Gateway data centre development at Manassas. According to the American Battlefield Trust, the 37-building complex is the largest planned data centre development on earth the world. QTS and other data centre providers like it contract their servers out to other corporations, providing the backbone which makes the internet run. As the internet has grown, so has the industry's footprint in Northern Virginia: the region is already the world's biggest data centre market. As of this summer, there are plans for Virginia's approximately 340 data centres to be joined by up to 1,200 more, according to the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. Northern Virginia was a cradle for the tech industry and continues to be a major nerve centre. Its proximity to Washington, DC and the defence industry, alongside generous tax breaks and access to a skilled workforce, helped the industry plant roots in an area sometimes dubbed " data centre alley". Several of the re-enactors of the Bull Run Legion tell the BBC they have careers in IT themselves, attending battle reenactments on the weekends. Rapidly scaling AI requires significantly more processing power and electricity than previous uses of the internet, and its need for data centres is ravenous: proposals have circulated to build data centres in lunar orbit, install nuclear reactors inside of them and spend trillions of dollars on their construction in the next few years. The Prince William Digital Gateway, planned to occupy land where soldiers clashed during the Battle of Second Manassas, will have a footprint of over 23 million sq ft (6.7 million sq km). Aaron Ruby, a spokesperson for Virginia's electric utility Dominion Power, tells the BBC that Dominion expects the energy demand of the state's data centre industry will quadruple over the next ten years – contributing to the doubling of the entire state's demand. And Virginia is no outlier. In 2024, data centres accounted for 1.5% of global energy demand, and that figure is expected to double to 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030. That's more energy than Japan uses today. But as the industry's footprint continues to grow, so too has local backlash. A 'growing crisis' A report by the state legislature says building the infrastructure to provide the necessary energy for the data centre boom "will be very difficult to achieve". The report adds that if the state intends to meet its clean energy goals and reduce the use of fossil fuels, it will be even harder to power the planned data centres. It also says that without guidelines in place, massive construction costs to build new power generation and lines could lead to higher electricity prices for regular consumers. QTS, however, says that it will pay any costs related to upgrading the electricity grid to ensure no impact to residential rates. But that's unrealistic, according to Ann Bennett, data centre issues chair of the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club. "This very reputable audit wing of the government says 'we have a big problem'," Bennet tells the BBC, describing the legislature's report. "We're subsidising these major companies with our energy, but also with our tax dollars." Bennett and the Sierra Club have published their own report about the data centre industry and its environmental impacts, calling it a "growing crisis". Tax breaks supporting the industry totalled over $730m (£536m) in 2024, and while data centres have brought significant revenue and some jobs to the state, critics argue the climate impacts and energy costs are not sufficiently accounted for. Ruby of Dominion Power, though, says that "data centres currently pay the full cost of their power". In order to "make sure that remains the case going forward", he says the state report recommended consumer protections, and Dominion is working to get these protections approved. Bennett says this won't be enough. "It's almost too late," she says. "In some ways, this is becoming a mitigation project already." The data centre industry is entrenched in Virginia, and further development seems like an unstoppable force. But the Sierra Club hopes other jurisdictions can learn from Virginia's experience and strike the right balance. The fight for history "We are not anti-development," says David Duncan, a native Virginian and president of the American Battlefield Trust. His organisation, along with a group of others, is suing to stop the construction of the Prince William Digital Gateway. "We believe this should be an and conversation," Duncan tells the BBC. "That's what has been lost in this rush to build these types of facilities too close to our historic resources." Cohen says the data centre development won't interrupt the historical value of the area and QTS plans to create "miles of multi-purpose trails" and install "historical landmarks, interactive kiosks and other tools in areas of historical importance" on the battlefield site. But for some, the issue isn't a lack of signage. "Nobody wants to look into the forest and see these massive monoliths rising," Jim Matte, another member of the Bull Run Legion, tells the BBC. The Digital Gateway's approval was finalised in a controversial marathon 27 hour town hall meeting in December 2023, after a 4-3 vote in a lame duck session by some legislators who had already lost their seats in the previous election. "We're in litigation because they took shortcuts in the approval processes", says Duncan, adding that activists and citizens alike believe developers and lawmakers anticipated public backlash, but chose to go ahead with the approval anyway. (QTS did not respond to questions on this issue.) The Battlefield Trust has worked with – and litigated against – powerful developers in the past. Years ago, the organisation successfully altered a plan to build a Walmart at The Wilderness, another pivotal battlefield in Virginia, by moving the site three miles (4.8km) down the road. "When we clamp down on your ankle and don't let go, you're going to get sick of us. We're not just gonna roll over," Duncan says. But he also feels the data centre industry has more money and momentum behind it than Walmart. "There's so much power," Duncan says. The Civil War and technological transformation The idea of a data centre would be lost on the soldiers of the American Civil War, but they would be no strangers to technological upheaval. During the Civil War, freshly-strung telegraph lines knit marching armies together. The new technology of photography carried images of battle's toll to homes across the world. Advancements in munitions and firearms increased the deadliness of combat, locking the North and South in trench warfare stalemate through the war's final months. It ultimately gave the North – with its industrialised economy – the advantage. Manassas stood near the crossroads of two railroads, a technology only a few decades old at that point. Manoeuvres throughout the war revolved around access to rail supply lines, with armies seeking to cut off or secure important junctions. The conflict itself was precipitated by the nation's railroad-fuelled westward expansion, which brought the question of extending slavery to new territories or abolishing it to a head. More like this: • The 'bison skull mountain' photo that reveals the US's dark history • The Oregon Trail, the controversial video game that defined the US • I can't drink the water' – life next to a US data centre At Manassas, a version of the world these soldiers knew and fought for is preserved: the open pastures, rolling hills and the farmhouses they encountered on the march and then returned to as old men to commemorate. Today, as Americans face another redefinition of their country in an era of big tech and political division, for many the historic battlefields remain an important resource. "These places are crucial for the future of our country," says Duncan. "This country was defined on the battlefields of the American Civil War." -- For timely, trusted tech news from global correspondents to your inbox, sign up to the Tech Decoded newsletter, while The Essential List delivers a handpicked selection of features and insights twice a week. For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
How AI is leading to a new fight over this Civil War Battlefield
The US state of Virginia saw some 50% of the nation's Civil War casualties. Now, mass construction of AI data centres threatens its historic lands, the environment and local communities. As the gunner of the Bull Run Legion lifts the explosive charge from its container and carries it up to the cannon, dozens of phones are lifted from pockets. Visitors open camera apps and raise devices high, focusing in on the handful of blue-uniformed men as they swab the gun's barrel with an era-appropriate sponge fastened to a stick. The cannon blasts its shot out into the air, and in the same moment, each phone fires its parcel of data at the cloud, landing in a data centre where banks of diligent servers sort, clean and route it along. On 21 July 1861, Union soldiers defending the United States watched over the crest of the same hills now framed on tourists' smartphones, as rebelling Confederate forces charged out of the forest in the first major battle of the American Civil War. A century and a half later, the Bull Run Legion, a group of "living historians" (better-known as re-enactors), still gather at Manassas National Battlefield Park using historic techniques and uniforms to commemorate that struggle. But today, the march of technology has turned this historic landmark into the scene of a new kind of battle. Technology companies are planning to erect one of the largest data centres in the world here at Manassas, Virginia, on the very ground where the Union army lost the war's first major land battle. Demand for data centres has skyrocketed as the artificial intelligence (AI) industry blossoms – but experts and advocates say the race for technological growth could threaten resources including water, energy and land. Some experts foresee a "growing crisis" for residents and future generations. The concerns aren't just practical, however – some fear building data centres too close to national landmarks could erase history and bury the lessons the Civil War has for future generations. "Do I want to see a data centre on the view line of this park? No, I do not. But do I recognise, since I worked in IT, that they're necessary? Yeah, I can get that. So there is no easy answer," Bart Wheeler, one of the living historians who works the cannon, tells the BBC. "Any interested citizen has to be worried." Those building the data centres disagree with these concerns and say they are taking steps to ensure the development is respectful of the historical context, even planning new information kiosks and trails around the site. Now, around 150 years after the Union army fought to protect this land in the 19th Century, a coalition of community advocates, environmentalists and history buffs are waging a differenty kind of war against an industry they say is steamrolling past their interests. It's a conflict with global repercussions. 'Data centre alley' The infrastructure which makes the internet work often lives in massive windowless buildings ringed by high black fences. Inside, stacked banks of computer servers receive signals and crunch numbers from devices around the world, providing the technical horsepower that allows for viral videos, cheeky text messages and more recently, untold numbers of AI queries. Data centres process our most intimate thoughts and transactions, but they're seldom seen by most users – that is, unless they're your neighbour. Around the world, the sprawling footprint of data centre development and their demands on resources have made this aspect of our digital lives more visible and controversial, particularly as the AI era sparks meteoric growth. "Customer demand remains very strong, driven by the digitalisation of the economy and AI revolution," says Karen Cohen, a spokesperson for QTS Data Centers, one of two companies seeking to build the massive Prince William Digital Gateway data centre development at Manassas. According to the American Battlefield Trust, the 37-building complex is the largest planned data centre development on earth the world. QTS and other data centre providers like it contract their servers out to other corporations, providing the backbone which makes the internet run. As the internet has grown, so has the industry's footprint in Northern Virginia: the region is already the world's biggest data centre market. As of this summer, there are plans for Virginia's approximately 340 data centres to be joined by up to 1200 more, according to the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. Northern Virginia was a cradle for the tech industry and continues to be a major nerve centre. Its proximity to Washington, DC and the defence industry, alongside generous tax breaks and access to a skilled workforce, helped the industry plant roots in an area sometimes dubbed "data centre alley". Several of the re-enactors of the Bull Run Legion tell the BBC they have careers in IT themselves, attending battle reenactments on the weekends. Rapidly scaling AI requires significantly more processing power and electricity than previous uses of the internet, and its need for data centres is ravenous: proposals have circulated to build data centres in lunar orbit, install nuclear reactors inside of them and spend trillions of dollars on their construction in the next few years. The Prince William Digital Gateway, planned to occupy land where soldiers clashed during the Battle of Second Manassas, will have a footprint of over 23 million sq ft (6.7 million sq km). Aaron Ruby, a spokesperson for Virginia's electric utility Dominion Power, tells the BBC that Dominion expects the energy demand of the state's data centre industry will quadruple over the next ten years – contributing to the doubling of the entire state's demand. And Virginia is no outlier. In 2024, data centres accounted for 1.5% of global energy demand, and that figure is expected to double to 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030. That's more energy than Japan uses today. But as the industry's footprint continues to grow, so too has local backlash. A 'growing crisis' A report by the state legislature says building the infrastructure to provide the necessary energy for the data centre boom "will be very difficult to achieve". The report adds that if the state intends to meet its clean energy goals and reduce the use of fossil fuels, it will be even harder to power the planned data centres. It also says that without guidelines in place, massive construction costs to build new power generation and lines could lead to higher electricity prices for regular consumers. QTS, however, says that it will pay any costs related to upgrading the electricity grid to ensure no impact to residential rates. But that's unrealistic, according to Ann Bennett, data centre issues chair of the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club. "This very reputable audit wing of the government says 'we have a big problem'," Bennet tells the BBC, describing the legislature's report. "We're subsidising these major companies with our energy, but also with our tax dollars." Bennett and the Sierra Club have published their own report about the data centre industry and its environmental impacts, calling it a "growing crisis". Tax breaks supporting the industry totalled over $730m (£536m) in 2024, and while data centres have brought significant revenue and some jobs to the state, critics argue the climate impacts and energy costs are not sufficiently accounted for. Ruby of Dominion Power, though, says that "data centres currently pay the full cost of their power". In order to "make sure that remains the case going forward", he says the state report recommended consumer protections, and Dominion is working to get these protections approved. Bennett says this won't be enough. "It's almost too late," she says. "In some ways, this is becoming a mitigation project already." The data centre industry is entrenched in Virginia, and further development seems like an unstoppable force. But the Sierra Club hopes other jurisdictions can learn from Virginia's experience and strike the right balance. The fight for history "We are not anti-development," says David Duncan, a native Virginian and president of the American Battlefield Trust. His organisation, along with a group of others, is suing to stop the construction of the Prince William Digital Gateway. "We believe this should be an and conversation," Duncan tells the BBC. "That's what has been lost in this rush to build these types of facilities too close to our historic resources." Cohen says the data centre development won't interrupt the historical value of the area, ands QTS plans to create "miles of multi-purpose trails" and install "historical landmarks, interactive kiosks and other tools in areas of historical importance" on the battlefield site. But for some, the issue isn't a lack of signage. "Nobody wants to look into the forest and see these massive monoliths rising," Jim Matte, another member of the Bull Run Legion, tells the BBC. The Digital Gateway's approval was finalised in a controversial marathon 27 hour town hall meeting in December 2023, after a 4-3 vote in a lame duck session by some legislators who had already lost their seats in the previous election. "We're in litigation because they took shortcuts in the approval processes", says Duncan, adding that activists and citizens alike believe developers and lawmakers anticipated public backlash and chose to go ahead with the approval anyway. (QTS did not respond to questions on this issue.) The Battlefield Trust has worked with – and litigated against – powerful developers in the past. Years ago, the organisation successfully altered a plan to build a Walmart at The Wilderness, another pivotal battlefield in Virginia, by moving the site three miles (4.8km) down the road. "When we clamp down on your ankle and don't let go, you're going to get sick of us. We're not just gonna roll over," Duncan says. But he also feels the data centre industry has more money and momentum behind it than Walmart. "There's so much power," Duncan says. The Civil War and technological transformation The idea of a data centre would be lost on the soldiers of the American Civil War, but they would be no strangers to technological upheaval. During the Civil War, freshly-strung telegraph lines knit marching armies together. The new technology of photography carried images of battle's toll to homes across the world. Advancements in munitions and firearms increased the deadliness of combat, locking the North and South in trench warfare stalemate through the war's final months. It ultimately gave the North – with its industrialised economy – the advantage. Manassas stood near the crossroads of two railroads, a technology only a few decades old at that point. Manoeuvres throughout the war revolved around access to rail supply lines, with armies seeking to cut off or secure important junctions. The conflict itself was precipitated by the nation's railroad-fuelled westward expansion, which brought the question of extending slavery to new territories or abolishing it to a head. More like this:• The 'bison skull mountain' photo that reveals the US's dark history• The Oregon Trail, the controversial video game that defined the US• I can't drink the water' – life next to a US data centre At Manassas, a version of the world these soldiers knew and fought for is preserved: the open pastures, rolling hills and the farmhouses they encountered on the march and then returned to as old men to commemorate. Today, as Americans face another redefinition of their country in an era of big tech and political division, for many the historic battlefields remain an important resource. "These places are crucial for the future of our country," says Duncan. "This country was defined on the battlefields of the American Civil War." -- For timely, trusted tech news from global correspondents to your inbox, sign up to the Tech Decoded newsletter, while The Essential List delivers a handpicked selection of features and insights twice a week. For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Announcing the 2024 Parrish Law Firm Academic Scholarship Winner, Ma'at Mosley-White
Ma'at Mosley-White is the winner of the Parrish Law Firm's Annual Academic Scholarship MANASSAS, VA / ACCESS Newswire / July 11, 2025 / Ma'at Mosley-White, a political science student at Florida A&M University, has been awarded the Parrish Law Firm's 2024 Academic Scholarship. This annual scholarship recognizes one exceptional student who shows promise and dedication to their Mosley-White Ma'at Mosley-White, winner of the Parrish Law Firm's 2024 Annual Academic Scholarship In addition to excelling academically as a Dean's list scholar, she truly cares about her community. She customizes campus tours for 100+ prospective students and families each week as part of the Office of Campus Visits. She is also a 2025 Orientation Leader with the Office of New Student Orientation and the founding historian of Project C, a student research organization that helps students effect social change through coaching, collaboration, and community building. One of her standout projects was a giveaway that supported young business owners and provided free resources for students. Ma'at's video essay demonstrated the struggles she has faced and her plan for a bright future in the legal field. Ma'at spoke of her difficult upbringing, parents' divorce, and unstable family situation, crediting these experiences as part of the reason she chose law. 'Growing up in a challenging environment, I saw firsthand the impact of [the] lack of representation and the importance of strong advocates in the legal system.' Ma'at plans to use the scholarship to reduce financial stress, allowing her to focus on school, pursue an internship, and take paralegal courses. These will help her 'sharpen the practical skills needed for law school and expose [her] to the day-to-day realities of legal work.' 'More than this', she said, 'this scholarship would serve as a reminder that hard work, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership are seen and supported. It would give me the freedom to continue growing without limitations and bring me one step closer to becoming an attorney who advocates for justice and uplifts underserved communities.' Ma'at hopes to become a civil and family lawyer focused on mental illness, family instability, and systemic injustice-issues she says resonate deeply with her background. She also aims to break barriers in the legal field. Noting that Black women make up just two percent of lawyers, she said, 'While this reality can seem daunting, it only strengthens my passion. This underrepresentation emphasizes the need for more voices like mine and motivates me to work to increase diversity and equity within the legal field.' We are honored to support Ma'at in her goal 'not just to practice law but to serve with purpose-bringing justice, clarity, and compassion to people who often feel voiceless.' About The Parrish Law Firm The Parrish Law Firm is a personal injury firm in Northern Virginia that has been fighting for injured people, protecting them from insurers for over 20 years. Jim Parrish and his team are dedicated to supporting the community through legal help, scholarships, and contributions such as founding a coat drive and an organization that gets kids outdoors. Applications for the 2025 Annual Academic Scholarship are due by November 1, 2025. Contact InformationLuis Fernando Castillon Marketing 571 229 1800 SOURCE: The Parrish Law Firm press release
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ice is cracking down on Trump's own supporters. Will they change their minds?
By now, the cycle of Donald Trump supporters being slapped in the face by his policies is common enough that it shouldn't warrant a response. What is noteworthy is the fact that his crusade of mass deportations seems to have taken the Maga crowd by surprise in a way that makes little sense if you've been paying attention to Trump, his campaign promises, his party and the people he surrounds himself with. Even as they witness friends and family members hurt by this administration's immigration clamp-downs, some Trump supporters appear resistant to doing a full 180. Bradley Bartell, whose wife, Camila Muñoz, was recently detained, says he has no regrets about voting for Trump. Muñoz is from Peru and overstayed a work-study visa that expired right when Covid hit. She was trying to get permanent residency in the US when she was detained. 'I don't regret the vote,' Bartell told Newsweek. His rationale? Trump is a victim of a bad immigration system that his administration inherited. 'He didn't create the system but he does have an opportunity to improve it. Hopefully, all this attention will bring to light how broken it is.' For Jensy Machado from Manassas, Virginia, things are a bit more complex. Machado, a naturalized US citizen, was driving to work when, according to NBC 4, he was stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents, who brandished guns and surrounded his truck. According to Machado, a man facing a deportation order had given Machado's home address as his, and when Machado assured agents that they had the wrong person and offered them his Virginia driver's license, they ordered him to leave his car and handcuffed him. 'I was a Trump supporter,' Machado, who is Hispanic, said. 'I voted for Trump last election, but, because I thought it was going to be like … against criminals, not every Hispanic, Spanish-lookalike.' 'They will assume that we are all illegals,' he continued. 'They're just following Hispanic people.' Machado said his support for the administration has been shaken. Others have been rattled by how and where Trump's policies are being applied. That dissonance is well articulated in a recent New York Times piece about a small Missouri town that supported Trump – and is now grappling with the effects of his decisions. Many residents of Kennett, Missouri, were stunned when a beloved neighbor, Carol, was arrested and jailed to await deportation after being summoned to Ice offices in St Louis in April. According to the government, Carol came to the US from Hong Kong in 2004, and has spent the past two decades trying to secure legal stay in the country, ultimately being granted a temporary permission to stay known as an order of supervision. Carol's most recent order of supervision was supposed to be valid through August 2025, but on the day of her arrest, she was told it was being terminated. Now, despite the fact that she's spent the last two decades building a life and community in this small town, getting married and buying a house, she's spent weeks moving between jails as she awaits a final decision on her deportation. 'I voted for Donald Trump, and so did practically everyone here,' said Vanessa Cowart, who knows Carol from church. 'But no one voted to deport moms. We were all under the impression we were just getting rid of the gangs, the people who came here in droves … This is Carol.' That last line – and the Kennett story as a whole – reveals a deeply American way of thinking about law and order and civil liberties: that anything is fair game once someone is considered a 'criminal'. It's an idea that has been sent into overdrive in the Trump years, where 'criminal' has become a catch-all for the most evil, dangerous and undesirable in our communities, and shorthand for referencing anyone society doesn't want to deal with. Trump ran on a campaign of hate, and the voters who helped cement that hatred and codify it into policy are now encountering the kind of state-sanctioned violence they endorsed at the ballot box. Still, to say 'I told you so' in a moment like this is not only useless, it feels like a cruel understatement when the thing you were warning about is so destructive. So what can we learn from this? US leadership is clearly invested in the destruction of vulnerable American lives. If people who have been directly affected by Trump's behaviour still find reasons to rationalize his leadership, it's a reminder that ousting this regime will require the rest of us to speak out against tyranny and the establishment politics that got us here in the first place. Tayo Bero is a Guardian US columnist
