6 data centers planned for Pennsylvania town spark bitter divide among residents

What started as a zoning change in a town of about 7,000 people has turned into a David and Goliath battle over its future.

Developers have proposed building six massive data centers, Project Scott, in the former coal town of Archbald, Pennsylvania, which is about 134 miles north of Philadelphia. Altogether, the project includes dozens of warehouse-sized buildings covering 14% of the town. (1)

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For some residents, the plans promise a boost to the small town’s economy. But for others, they represent the loss of forests, strain on local resources and a level of industrial development that they say they never signed up for.

“I didn’t work 38 years to sit here and listen to a data center, 24/7, 365 days a year,” resident Joseph Pullman told the Washington Post. (2) “We know we are going up against some really wealthy people.”

This all seems too baked in already for anyone to really do anything about it. Environmental concerns have taken center stage. Forests have already been clear-cut outside of public school teacher Tim Bachak’s home. What was once home to black bears, deer, coyotes and owls is now 180 acres of clear-cut forest.

“Those animals now have no place to go,” Pullman told the Washington Post. (2) “It’s disgusting … Why are they putting these things near us, near our schools and near our parks?”

A small town caught off guard

Developers and Archbald officials argue that the projects could bring the town much-needed jobs and revenue. The town has struggled economically since the decline of coal mining that began in 1955. (3) But critics say the number of jobs tied to data centers is limited, while the environmental and infrastructural costs can be long-lasting.

The debate has become heated, with packed public meetings and resignations of council members, including Dave Moran (president), Richard Guman (vice president) and Marie Andreoli (president pro-tempore) on April 15. There have also been accusations that residents were not told enough early on in the rezoning process back in November. (4) Some have added that the conflict has created a real rift within the community.

In his resignation letter (5), Moran cited a previous conflict in Indianapolis, where councilman Ron Gibson had shots fired at his home early on April 6. (6)

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“I want to caution my fellow council members, the planning commission members and zoning board members to be careful of the many unstable people,” Moran wrote. “Please remember your family should come first.”

A local debate with national implications

While the fight in Archbald is local, there is a national twist to the story. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in July, throwing his support behind the intensification of data center construction.

“My administration will utilize federally owned land and resources for the expeditious and orderly development of data centers,” the order reads. “This usage will be done in a manner consistent with the land’s intended purpose — to be used in service of the prosperity and security of the American people.”

Data centers are the foundation on which cloud computing and artificial intelligence are built. Demand for them is rising fast. They consume an incredible amount of energy, however. Project Scott is expected to consume an average of 50,000 gallons of water a day.

According to an analysis by Carnegie Mellon economist Nicholas Muller, data centers consumed 5% of the nation’s total electrical output. (7) Additionally, the International Energy Agency estimates that data centers worldwide have increased their energy consumption by 12% annually over the last five years. (8)

As more communities across the U.S. are earmarked for similar projects, the debate playing out in Archbald offers a broader question: Who really pays for the infrastructure powering the digital economy?

The data center boom’s broader impact

Over 200 residents showed up for the March 27 meeting when Archbald Borough Council denied data center developer Archbald I LLC a building permit. (9) Over 500 showed up to the April meeting that led to Moran, Guman and Andreoti’s resignations.

The developer has since filed a lawsuit to overturn the council’s rejection of the planned data centers due to a violation of due process and predetermined opposition. (10)

In the special meeting minutes, Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan quoted Leo Tolstoy’s short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need,” noting that the answer is only enough land for his own grave. (11)

There are currently more than 1,500 data centers planned for development in the U.S. About 67% of planned data centers are in rural areas, while 87% of existing data centers are in urban areas. (12)

For homeowners, large industrial projects can affect property values, particularly if they change the character of a neighborhood, raise concerns over noise pollution and have an environmental impact. (13)

For Bachak, the environmental impact has already been felt.

“No one wants this,” he said, “except the people making money off it.”

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