Almost every day, from the driveway of his home and business in Louisa, Austin Newsome sees dozens of dump trucks driving along Route 33, hauling dirt and other debris. The roads are rust-red and stained with dirt pushed out by the construction of Amazon’s newest data center campus in the county.
One day, Newsom said, the neighbor across the street left.
“I thought, oh, they’ve already picked me up and gone somewhere,” Newsome said from the garage of Central Virginia Marine, a company he co-owns and operates near his home. “And then I looked up who owned the property and it turned out to be Amazon.”
Newsom’s home sits on the border of the Northeast Creek Technology Overlay District, a part of the county zoned to attract certain businesses, including data centers.
This is the site of Amazon’s second data center campus in the county, and plans for the project detail 10 buildings, three electrical substations, stormwater structures, logistics and administrative buildings, and related infrastructure. Construction is expected to be completed in 2031.
A truck carries barrels of materials down Route 33 in Louisa from the site of an Amazon data center campus under construction. (Photo by Shannon Hecht/Virginia Mercury)
When the project began in March 2025, Newsom reported some disturbances to county officials (loud noises, trucks kicking up large dust clouds, etc.) and that his tap water had turned brown.
As construction of the data center continued, water discoloration continued intermittently for several months.
“(My well) has survived four major droughts since the ’50s and never had a problem,” Newsom said. “I’ve lived here for 11 or 12 years. I never had a problem until I started doing things over there.”
Newsom and his spouse also experienced loud noises coming from the construction site late at night. They said light pollution from the scene was flooding children’s bedrooms.
One of his main concerns is dust from the project covering the roads. Amazon responded by deploying street sweepers and spraying water to control the dust. But Newsom said that’s not enough.
“They brought in trucks that just dumped water on the road. The road is covered in mud. Now all the mud is flowing into my driveway,” Newsom said.
In August 2025, Newsom filed a lawsuit against the company seeking relief from the negative impact the construction work had on his home and boat detailing and repair business.
Newsom claimed in his personal nuisance lawsuit that vibrations from the construction work caused cracks in the foundation of his home. Newsom said in his filing that the project is lowering home values, destroying natural drainage and impacting mental health.
Newsome operates his business from a workshop near his home. He said in the filing that his customers, who often tow boats, have had a number of “near accidents” with trucks.
The closest school is just one mile from the construction site. Representatives from Louisa Public Schools said the truck has not caused any problems yet.
Amazon had already built another data center near the Lake Anna power plant in the county and was planning a third project. Withdrawn in July 2025 Due to public backlash.
Many problems, few solutions
Newsom has repeatedly complained to county leaders and Amazon. He said he received a promise to look into the matter, but it remains unresolved.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Duane Adams said he has communicated with the Newsoms multiple times about their concerns and has worked to address some of them.
“I’ve treated Mr. and Mrs. Newsom the same way I treat all of my constituents. I’m very sensitive and I try to address any issues that may be impacting them and try to de-escalate the situation,” Adams said.
Once construction began on the data center, Newsom and his family began building a new home.
He has put his current home up for sale, but said he has not been able to find a buyer because buyers lose interest when they find out that construction is underway across the street.
A sign advertising a home for sale in Louisa County across the street from an Amazon data center construction site. (Photo by Shannon Hecht/Virginia Mercury)
There are other faults on the power lines
Another challenge is that a backup route option for the high-voltage Valley Link transmission line could run through Newsom’s property. The line would provide power to an energy-intensive data center in northern Virginia, potentially forcing Mr. Newsom to demolish the factory where his business operates.
Map of potential Valley Link infection routes through Louisa County. (Valley Link Transmission)
“So I’m going to get out of here, but I’m going to stay here,” Newsom said. “(I) end up with two mortgages.”
No final preferred route has been selected. 115 miles, 765 kilovolt power line It would stretch from Lynchburg to Culpeper County.
what will happen next
Newsom’s case remains in court, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 19, according to records in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Amazon tried to persuade the court to throw out the nuisance claims lawsuit, arguing in court filings that “brown water, noise, poor air quality, and light pollution are all problems.” The entire nuisance claim must be dismissed because it is not substantive. ”
U.S. District Judge Jasmine H. Yun allowed the nuisance claim to proceed, but denied Mr. Newsom’s request for an injunction, stating that injunctive relief can still be filed as part of the nuisance claim, but not as a separate claim.
The Louisa man’s story caught the attention of prominent environmental activist and paralegal Erin Brockovich, who in 1993 led a successful lawsuit against a major oil and gas company for groundwater contamination.
Brockovich’s latest campaign is raising awareness about the environmental impact of data centers across the country. Brockovich has posted multiple videos. She joined Newsom on her social media to explain his experience and explain his lawsuit.
Newsom said he intends to continue to push back against the disruption caused by future data center campuses.
“You know, one person can make a difference,” Newsom said. “So if one person like me can go above and beyond and make as much of a difference as I do in everything, then anyone else can too.”
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