Data Center Developer Proposes National Park Land Swap To Facilitate New Project: Report

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA – According to a new report, a data center developer has proposed swapping land it cannot develop for a parcel inside Prince William Forest Park that it could.

The Prince William Times reports that Highland Digital, the developer behind the Quantico Ridge project, has proposed exchanging 73 acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands it owns for 36 acres of parkland owned by the federal government, as Prince William Forest Park is a national park. The erstwhile parkland would presumably be used for the Quantico Ridge data center project, which envisions four 100-foot-tall buildings and a substation near the western border of Prince William Park.

The swap idea dates back to at least 2025, the outlet reports. County Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson (D-At Large) is reportedly aware of the proposal but doubtful that it will come to fruition.

Local conservationists are concerned that building in the area could compromise Quantico Creek.

Read more from the Prince William Times here.