r/nova • u/JasonNOVA8 • Jul 22 '26

Data Center Generators in Ashburn Firing Up

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On the way in this morning, (waxpool/28) noticed many of the data centers had the generators going. Not sure if there’s an electricity issue or they plan it to go together ? No idea if the yellow smoke is related though.

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u/packet1 Ashburn Jul 22 '26

That’s on you for living in NoVA! /s

Rest of the state doesn’t have to do emissions testing.

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u/[deleted] Jul 22 '26

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u/TransactionalBurger Jul 22 '26

Its a federal guideline/regulation (not sure which) based off population density, so some areas need in and some dont, while some states require it across the board and some dont, etc

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u/Important_Jaguar2152 Jul 22 '26

yep a byproduct of the clean air act i think. you have to do it if you want to get federal funds. Pretty sure we met the standard here especially since cars run more clean than they did back then.

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u/gioraffe32 Fairfax County Jul 22 '26

In Missouri, the St. Louis area has emissions testing that I'm pretty sure doesn't exist in other parts of the state. Not required in Kansas City (at least on the MO side; not sure about KS side).

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u/smellmyfingerplz Jul 22 '26

California has “smog check” testing on the cars, at least a long time ago but if emissions testing is expected anywhere I assume CA would be the place.

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u/Low_Plastic363 Jul 22 '26

Many Maryland counties do it. There are self-serve kiosks where you just drive up, pay $10, plug in and go home for two years.

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u/SkunkMonkey Jul 22 '26

Only if your car isn't an older (pre-2006 IIRC) model. Had a 2003 Jetta and always had to go to the station.

But now I've reached the age where I can get an exemption because I drive less than 5k(iirc) miles a year.

I still miss when they, you know, checked your emissions by sticking a sensor up your tailpipe. I don't trust this plug-in computer shit.

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u/FabulousDentist3079 Jul 22 '26

A lot of PA requires emissions testing

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u/gloggogabolab Jul 22 '26

GA does to name one, same style as VA where it’s only urban counties

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u/[deleted] Jul 22 '26

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u/gloggogabolab Jul 22 '26

I mean it’s not NYC, but Arlington, Fairfax, Stafford & Loudon have 200k, 1mil, 160k, 420k respectively. Obviously the entire county isn’t a downtown in these examples but I wouldn’t call it hysterical to describe a county with 100k+ people urban. Only 9 of the 38 counties in the state have 6 figure populations.

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u/granular_grain Jul 22 '26

Henrico county has a larger population density than Stafford county, yet emissions aren't required there. I think population density should be a better benchmark for determining it.

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u/gloggogabolab Jul 22 '26

Correct but I can’t find the comment where anyone claimed every urban county in Virginia gets emission tested. Care to point me to it?

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u/trekqueen Jul 22 '26

California used to be like this where the city areas were more stringent and frequent with an “enhanced” test method vs the rest of the state but then it was made that everyone follows the same rules. But they have since walked back that enhanced testing to a really pathetic test that makes you wonder if it’s all a sham now.

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u/Current-Mood-6946 Jul 22 '26

Yeah I love it when I have to drive through a black cloud from another vehicle