Residents and local leaders in Botetourt County are once again raising questions about transparency and public involvement as the community navigates major development projects, including a proposed Google data center and the Rocky Forge Wind Project.

Construction is under way on Rocky Forge, which Apex Clean Energy describes as Virginia’s first large land-based wind project. Apex says the project will include 13 turbines, each rated at more than 6 megawatts, for a total nameplate capacity of about 78 megawatts, and that annual production should be roughly equal to electricity used by about 20,000 average Virginia homes.

Construction is underway on the Rocky Forge Wind Project, Virginia’s first land-based wind farm, located in Botetourt County.