Virginia groundwater study released

United States — West Virginia released a long-delayed study on groundwater supply in its eastern coastal plain, finding declines likely in a critical aquifer due to population growth and industrial use, and urging stricter regulations. The report, produced by environmental scientists, recommends strengthening regulators' permitting authority, requiring alternative water sources for large users, and improving planning. It notes that data centers, which use water for cooling, may face difficulty obtaining groundwater permits. The report was withheld for over six months before Governor Abigail Spanberger's office provided it to the Associated Press. State Senator Richard Stuart, who passed a bill requiring the study, expressed concerns about drinking water and the seafood industry. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation called the findings sobering. Cleanview reported 371 data centers operating in United States — West Virginia and 438 planned. The United States — Virginia Department of Environmental Quality had initially withheld the report.