{"id":303190,"date":"2026-10-09T16:24:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T16:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/303190\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T16:24:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T16:24:28","slug":"archbald-residents-show-resistance-to-project-gravity-data-centers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/303190\/","title":{"rendered":"Archbald residents show resistance to Project Gravity data centers"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARCHBALD \u2014 Residents, data center opponents and neighbors bombarded Project Gravity representatives with concerns Wednesday about data centers backed up by 430 megawatts of batteries and urged the Archbald Planning Commission to deny final land development plans for the 180-plus-acre campus.\n<\/p>\n

Project Gravity officials tried to assuage the crowd of about 70 in attendance at the planning commission meeting in the third-floor gymnasium of Archbald\u2019s Borough Building. The officials presented renderings of their data center campus nestled behind trees a few hundred feet from homes in Archbald and Jermyn and emphasized the safety of modern battery energy storage systems, or BESS.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a misconception between some of the projects and all of the noise that\u2019s out there in the data center industry, between the speculative projects, the more Bitcoin mining-driven projects, and what I consider ourselves to be: serious developers, well-funded developers who have a longstanding reputation to uphold,\u201d said Erik Draaisma, an executive vice president at Corscale Data Centers, the Texas-based developer behind Project Gravity.\n<\/p>\n

They know that zoning laws govern what can be on the site, Draaisma said.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Archbald Planning Commission presides over a meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Moosic<\/p>\n

Moosic resident and Stop Archbald Data Centers member Derek Sutcliffe shares his concerns about Project Gravity during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbald<\/p>\n

Archbald resident Tina Verrastro, who lives on Gibson Street near Project Gravity, opposes the development during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Erik<\/p>\n

Erik Draaisma, an executive vice president at Corscale Data Centers, addresses residents during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbald<\/p>\n

Archbald resident Kelsey Pazanski Wargo challenges Project Gravity\u2019s zoning during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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The Archbald Planning Commission presides over a meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe don\u2019t go in and try to push development where it isn\u2019t approved by zoning,\u201d he said. He cited his company\u2019s experience developing data centers in Northern Virginia, with two data centers under construction and six campuses across the United States and Europe in active predevelopment, such as Project Gravity.\n<\/p>\n

The crowd challenged the development throughout the night, from its zoning status to its batteries and stormwater basins.<\/p>\n

The three-hour meeting ended Wednesday without a decision from the planning commission.\n<\/p>\n

\u2018Consider the residents\u2019<\/p>\n

Developed by Corscale and funded by Texas-based Affinius Capital, Project Gravity submitted final land development plans for its data center campus to Archbald late last month.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A rendering of Project Gravity is presented during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Valley<\/p>\n

Valley View School District Solicitor Kyle Callejas addressed Project Gravity both on behalf of the school district and as an Archbald native during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbald<\/p>\n

Archbald resident Meg Nudelman speaks about Project Gravity during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Planning<\/p>\n

Planning Commission Chairman Scott Gilland addresses Project Gravity representatives during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbald<\/p>\n

Archbald resident Kim Nudelman shares her concerns about Project Gravity during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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A rendering of Project Gravity is presented during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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Because Project Gravity\u2019s initial plans predate the borough\u2019s November zoning amendment to regulate data centers, it is proceeding as a principal permitted use in a general commercial zoning district. Archbald\u2019s legacy zoning from March 2023 permitted data centers in commercial and industrial zones throughout the borough without defining them. The Valley View School District is challenging that designation in county court.<\/p>\n

As a permitted use, Project Gravity only needs approval at the borough level from Archbald\u2019s planning commission. The conditional-use hearing process used to govern other data center proposals culminates in final approval from borough council.\n<\/p>\n

Project Gravity\u2019s final land development plans propose five two-story data centers and two one-story data centers, each with a 138,000-square-foot footprint, between Eynon Jermyn Road and Business Route 6. Rather than rely on 260 backup generators, each producing 3 megawatts, Project Gravity downsized to 45 1.25-megawatt generators, Draaisma said. There would be 42 generators for its data centers and three generators for its stormwater pumps, he said. Reducing the backup generators also reduced the diesel fuel stored on site, bringing it down from 2.4 million gallons to under 200,000 gallons, he said.<\/p>\n

The rest of the backup power would come from 430 megawatts of batteries, with 78 megawatts of BESS yards for the two-story data centers and 20 megawatts for the one-story buildings.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\"Lackawanna<\/p>\n

Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan called Project Gravity\u2019s plans \u201cabsurd\u201d during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Mark<\/p>\n

Mark Cornell, who lives on Callahan Drive near a Project Gravity stormwater basin, said the data center campus exploited the borough\u2019s intentions during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A rendering of Project Gravity is presented during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan called Project Gravity\u2019s plans \u201cabsurd\u201d during an Archbald Planning Commission meeting at the Borough Building on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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Archbald\u2019s zoning prohibits an \u201celectricity grid storage battery facility\u201d in commercial zones such as Project Gravity\u2019s, limiting the battery facilities to industrial zones and mining districts as conditional uses. Project Gravity\u2019s representatives contend the prohibition does not apply to their project because they\u2019re building a data center campus as a permitted use with the BESS as an accessory to that use. The batteries would only serve their data centers and could not discharge to the grid, Draaisma said.<\/p>\n

Archbald resident Kelsey Pazanski Wargo cited Valley View\u2019s lawsuit as she challenged Project Gravity\u2019s rights to operate in a commercial zone under Archbald\u2019s legacy zoning. Archbald\u2019s general commercial zoning district no longer permits data centers, meaning if Project Gravity\u2019s plans are denied, it cannot reapply in the same location.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are more well informed about hyperscale AI data centers, and we know that we are not here considering an internet server building when we look at this application,\u201d she said, advocating that data centers only belong in Archbald\u2019s heaviest industrial zoning.<\/p>\n

Tina Verrastro, who lives on Gibson Street and is one of Project Gravity\u2019s closest neighbors, challenged the data centers\u2019 rights to operate under Archbald\u2019s original zoning, pointing out the site was sold in December to a new a limited liability company. She also worried about Project Gravity\u2019s batteries near her home.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Gravity replaced over 100 diesel generators with 430 megawatts of lithium batteries,\u201d she said. \u201cIf these batteries catch fire, they are very hard to extinguish, and they reignite hours or days later and can release harmful gases that pose health risks to nearby residents and first responders. My home literally borders this wildly inappropriate project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Referencing recent reporting<\/a> in The Times-Tribune on Project Gravity\u2019s batteries, Draaisma said BESS have gone through a \u201ctremendous evolution\u201d in recent years, with past incidents informing significant regulation and design changes. Those new strategies include no longer concentrating the batteries into one location, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a drop in incident rates between 2018 and 2025 of 99% because of these regulations and because of these designs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Planning Commission Chairman Scott Gilland criticized Project Gravity\u2019s plans for placing infrastructure in a residential zone near the outskirts of the campus, and the changing nature of the plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have never worked on a project where every time that I look at a new set of prints, something has totally changed,\u201d Gilland said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve implored you people to consider the residents. I\u2019ve implored you to do that, and by just what you\u2019re trying to put on that (residential) area, seems to me that maybe I didn\u2019t implore you enough, or maybe I wasn\u2019t clear enough or respectful enough with my request.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018This is our home\u2019<\/p>\n

In total, 15 Lackawanna County residents spoke out against Project Gravity on Wednesday, the majority of whom were Archbald residents.<\/p>\n

Mark Cornell lives on Callahan Drive near a massive stormwater basin at the top of Project Gravity\u2019s site near Business Route 6.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Gravity chose to exploit our intentions,\u201d Cornell said. \u201cSomehow, Project Gravity got to determine its own definition of a data center, and despite a mountain of opposition, continues to exploit our neighborhood, our schools, and our parks, and the citizens of Archbald and Lackawanna County for their own benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stop Archbald Data Centers member Derek Sutcliffe of Moosic, who frequents data center and power plant meetings throughout Northeast Pennsylvania, said Archbald\u2019s planning commission is one of their only defenses for community standards. Batteries aren\u2019t a safe alternative, they\u2019re a different kind of hazard, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a thermal runaway event occurs, we are looking at difficult-to-extinguish toxic battery fires right in the backyards of our residents and our local schools,\u201d Sutcliffe said, wearing a backward baseball cap affixed with a \u201cNo Data Centers\u201d button across his forehead. \u201cProtect our neighborhoods from this unprecedented battery hazard.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Moosic resident also raised concerns over whether the scale of earth-moving work to develop the site would risk structural instability on former mine lands, litigation against the project, stormwater runoff and Project Gravity\u2019s removal from Gov. Josh Shapiro\u2019s permit fast track program due to a lack of transparency.\n<\/p>\n

Kyle Callejas addressed the planning commission both as a Valley View School District solicitor and as someone born and raised in Archbald. He referenced objections the district sent to Archbald regarding Project Gravity and challenged the zoning for the batteries.<\/p>\n

Speaking as an Archbald native, Callejas said there are two sides of the debate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn one side, you have billion-dollar companies seeking to drastically and permanently alter the landscape of our town for their own benefit. On the other side are the people of Archbald \u2014 people whose parents and grandparents grew up here, whose children will grow up here, and who love this town and call it home,\u201d Callejas said, asking the planning commission to remember who they serve. \u201cTo the developers, this is a business opportunity. When their work is done here, they will leave Archbald and never return again. To us, though, this is our home, and we are the ones who will live with the consequences: our families, our students, our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sisters Meg and Kim Nudelman, who live in the Highlands Archbald development off Eynon Jermyn Road less than a mile from Project Gravity, both criticized the battery proposals. Kim Nudelman worried about where residents will go if they have to evacuate and whether local first responders could handle a major BESS incident.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the commission does not have significant evidence to determine that this BESS is compatible with surrounding land uses and can be safely accommodated at this location, then there is a reason very straightforward to deny approval,\u201d Kim Nudelman said. \u201cWe should not approve first to try to resolve fundamental questions afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan called the project absurd, describing features of the data center campuses and its plans to use 30- and 40-foot walls to reduce sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt some point, common sense ought to interrupt your engineering,\u201d Gaughan said. \u201cWhen your solution requires walls of the height of buildings, massive stormwater infrastructure and specialized emergency planning, maybe the problem isn\u2019t that you need another consultant \u2014 maybe the problem is where you\u2019re trying to put it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The development asks the community to sacrifice their quality of life so the developer can make money, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Gravity may be an engineering marvel. It may be a financial marvel, but as a matter of planning, it is absolute madness,\u201d Gaughan said. \u201cNo amount of engineering can make it make common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ARCHBALD \u2014 Residents, data center opponents and neighbors bombarded Project Gravity representatives with concerns Wednesday about data centers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":303191,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[2117,2116,201,182,139,28,178,180,179,181],"class_list":["post-303190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-archbald","tag-data-centers","tag-lackawanna-county","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news","tag-top-stories-stt"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/303191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}