ARCHBALD, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — People packed the Valley View High School auditorium in Archbald Thursday night for a public hearing regarding the Project Green Mountain data center campus.
This was the first hearing to consider a conditional use application for the proposed project east of the Casey Industrial Highway. According to the application, the campus would include seven, two-story data centers among other buildings.
The company sent FOX56 a statement after the hearing saying:
“Project Green Mountain is committed to being a responsible community partner. As discussed in detail this evening, our proposed site is uniquely situated east of the Casey Industrial Highway, separated from residential areas, in a former quarry. This distance and physical separation are among the key differentiating factors of our proposed project, which aligns with local stakeholder expectations to minimize and reduce community-level impacts. We appreciate the community’s feedback and thank the council for the opportunity to share how our project can support the regional economy through job creation and related economic benefits. We look forward working collaboratively with the community in an effort to add value, economic benefits and job creation to the region.”
Those opposed to the proposed data center campus spoke out at the hearing.
“We’re just trying to get these (data centers) properly zoned in the right place responsibly to protect public health and the quality of life in our town. I hope the actions that our borough decides to take are responsible and respectful,” said Tamara Misewicz-Healey, co-founder of the Stop Archbald Data Centers group.
The hearing comes one day after a leadership shakeup took place in Archbald Borough, as council members voted to replace several top officials during a meeting Wednesday night citing concerns from a majority of members that previous leadership was not representing the best interests of residents.