Another data center meeting in Archbald drew a full house of residents, with a majority of whom oppose the project. Newswatch 16’s Adi Iyer was on hand.
ARCHBALD, Pa. — After months of frustration and fierce opposition, the fight against data centers continues to rage on within the borough of Archbald.
Folks at Monday night’s data center conditional use hearing were angry about a local ad agency, Ryan Leckey Media, sending out mailers on behalf of the developers of the proposed Wildcat Ridge data center.
One of the developer’s mailers was called “Myth vs. Fact, revealing the truth and dispelling rumors about data centers.” Residents returned those mailers to the developers within the first 10 minutes of the meeting starting.
“Since you’re so into myths vs. fact, I’ll tell you some facts: ten of my neighbors, ten, have either died from or are living with cancer, and you are going to introduce another carcinogen in my area,” says Mary Therese McKane of Archbald.
The focus of the meeting was on the impact that the data center would have on traffic. The data center developer says the impact will be “negligible,” but some folks disagree.
“I drove down the Wildcat in ice storms, and I have to two wheels in a ditch, that’s how dangerous it is, and you wanna put trucks down that road,” says McKane.
Current and former county officials also asked the borough council if it’s possible to have residents vote on whether Wildcat Ridge gets built by putting it on a ballot.
Lackawanna County Controller Gary DiBileo says, “I believe the future of Archbald and its residents should be determined by the people of Archbald.”
“Unless you agree to a moratorium for a couple of years and let these people alone, or agree to put it on the ballot, pack your bags, pack your bags, get out of this place and don’t come back!” says Former Judge Thomas Munley.