Olyphant\u2019s growing data center opposition movement will hold its first community event Sunday to unite residents and address misinformation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is endlessly important that we have people on the same page, knowing what\u2019s coming, knowing what\u2019s already been applied for and what they can do to make a difference,\u201d said Eva Rappenglueck, a co-organizer of the event.\n<\/p>\n
As one of the latest Lackawanna County communities to navigate data center proposals, Olyphant residents formed Stop Olyphant Data Centers<\/a> in April to oppose the developments. The grassroots group has since grown to include more than 1,800 members on Facebook while raising over $6,150 through a GoFundMe campaign<\/a> to pay for legal counsel. The community information night Sunday begins at 4 p.m. at Fern Hill Park on East Grant Street, said Rappenglueck, a member of the group.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a chance to get everybody together and breathe and get everyone on the same page,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The information night will feature speakers, childcare so parents can focus on the event, light refreshments, aerial imagery, and merchandise including yard signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers.<\/p>\n Rappenglueck will speak, Aline Browning<\/a> from Lackawanna Citizens\u2019 Overwatch Project will discuss cancer clusters and health concerns, and Emily Van Fleet will talk about some of the wins<\/a> against data centers in Archbald.\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a little bit of everything, hopefully, so that we can really get people aware of what\u2019s happening, because there is so much misinformation out right now,\u201d Rappenglueck said. \u201cIt\u2019s been an uphill battle trying to get the facts out there and get everybody on the same boat as far as what has actually happened already, where we can go from here, different opportunities, and how people can get involved with helping as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Olyphant Borough Council adopted zoning standards for data centers in April and then confirmed its vote in a June settlement<\/a> that resolved a lawsuit with a Charles DeNaples-managed firm that had applied for and withdrawn plans for seven data centers.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Olyphant conditionally allows data centers across about 1,000 acres of industrially zoned land surrounded by the Casey Highway, Marshwood Road and Route 247. The ordinance faced pushback from residents who urged council to reduce the amount of land for data centers. Borough officials defended the legislation as necessary to protect the town. Failing to zone for data centers exposes a municipality to legal challenges over exclusionary zoning.<\/p>\n