Residents raise tree protection, water‑testing and data‑center concerns during Henrico public comment

Three residents addressed the Henrico County Board of Supervisors during the public‑comment period on May 26, raising environmental and public‑health concerns.

Jennifer Lieberman spoke first, urging the board to value trees as infrastructure that provides habitat, reduces energy costs and helps manage water; she criticized large industrial development such as data centers for displacing native vegetation and worsening drought and stormwater outcomes. Lieberman framed her remarks as a call to preserve natural systems amid expanding infrastructure.

Emily Vanderscheid, a Sandston resident, said she lives one street over from proposed data‑center activity and that two schools sit on her street. She asked whether testing or monitoring of the water supply to those schools was planned and whether well owners could access testing resources. The county manager responded that the school water comes from the county treatment plant and is tested many times daily and offered to provide the deputy's contact information for follow‑up; the manager also said the county has a program to test private wells and would contact Vanderscheid the following day.

A third signed speaker (miss Johnson) was not present, and no further public commenters addressed the board.

What to watch: County staff offered a direct follow‑up on well testing and pointed residents to health‑department resources; residents concerned about data centers or tree loss should expect follow‑up from the county manager's office.—(Provenance: public comment began SEG 990; county response and offer of well‑testing program in SEG 1101–1105.)