Daily Digest — March 28, 2026
Archbald Borough Council Unanimously Denies 18-Building Data Center Campus
The Archbald Borough Council in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, voted 5-0 to deny a conditional use application from Archbald I LLC for an 18-building data center campus on roughly 400 acres near Ed Staback Memorial Park. The decision, met with a standing ovation from over 200 residents, was based on procedural grounds — an incomplete record and insufficient developer testimony — rather than the project's merits, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
As reported by WVIA Public Media, the expedited decision was prompted by a clerical error at The Times-Tribune, which failed to publish a required legal notice for a scheduled hearing. This created a 45-day deadline under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, after which the application would have been "deemed approved." The developer, represented by attorney Jeffrey Esch McCombie of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, declined to extend the deadline.
Residents organized under groups like Stop Archbald Data Centers cited the developer's failure to provide mandatory documentation including:
- Electric and water capacity assessments
- Pre-construction sound studies
- Steep slope exemption approvals
- Emergency official consultations on security
Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan also spoke at the meeting, urging Gov. Josh Shapiro to impose a three-year statewide moratorium on data centers. Archbald I LLC is a division of Dallas-based Provident Data Centers, led by Leon Backes and Jay Hawes. It remains unclear whether the developer will appeal, as reported by WNEP.
According to 2822news.com, four additional data center proposals totaling over 10 million square feet remain active in Archbald:
- **Project Gravity** — 185-acre site, seven two-story buildings
- **Project Boson** — 620,000 sq ft single-building campus
- **Project Green Mountain** — 270-acre site, seven two-story buildings
- **Wildcat Ridge** — 570-acre site, 14 two-story buildings
Project Gravity and Project Boson were submitted before the borough's data center overlay ordinance and avoided the conditional use process. Project Green Mountain and Wildcat Ridge are awaiting third conditional use hearings.
Archbald denies application for 18-data-center campus
Scranton Times-Tribune
Archbald denies 18-building data center campus during special Friday afternoon meeting
WVIA Public Media
Archbald denies application for data center
WNEP
Overview: data center proposals in Archbald
2822news.com
Archbald denies data center application
WNEP
Ohio Attorney General Certifies Ballot Proposal to Ban Large Data Centers Statewide
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has certified a proposed constitutional amendment titled "Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center," clearing petitioners to begin collecting signatures. The measure would prohibit new data center facilities exceeding 25 megawatts in peak energy load and 5,000 square feet, according to WHIO-TV.
The Ohio Coalition for Responsible Development is leading the campaign. Coalition member Barry Blankenship stated that the initiative arose after local officials failed to address resident concerns about data center expansions. Petitioners need approximately 780,000 signatures from at least half of Ohio's counties by the end of August to qualify for the November ballot, according to WHIO-TV. WSYX reported a lower threshold of over 400,000 signatures by July.
The proposal has drawn opposition from industry representatives. Dan Diorio, Vice President of State Policy for the Data Center Coalition, warned that a statewide ban would deter investment and undermine economic growth, citing the industry's $9.9 billion contribution to Ohio's GDP in 2023. Christopher Magil of Vista Site Selections noted that each data center job in Franklin County supports 3.2 additional jobs, as reported by WSYX.
The Dayton Daily News and The Business Journal also confirmed the certification.
Ohio voters launch proposed amendment to keep big data centers from plugging in
WSYX
Ohio Attorney General certifies ‘Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center’ proposal
WHIO-TV
Ohio Attorney General certifies 'Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center' proposal | WHIO-TV
WHIO
Data Center Ban Proposal Moves Forward; Housing Push Aims to Attract New Residents
The Business Journal - Youngstown Publishing Co.
Data center debate update, new local coffee option, remembering a DDN colleague and more local headlines
Dayton Daily News
Ohio EPA Considers General Wastewater Permit for Data Centers; Wilmington AWS Project Paused
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is evaluating a new general permit that would allow data centers to discharge wastewater into surface waters, bypassing the slower individual permit process, according to WCPO 9 News. The EPA states the permit would limit pollution increases only for critical community or economic needs.
Separately, a Clinton County judge ordered Wilmington to pause all further action on a proposed Amazon Data Services data center project to ensure adequate time for public input following a mediated agreement. The Wilmington Planning Commission has also tabled a revised site plan for the AWS facility, according to the Wilmington News Journal. Residents organized under Wilmington Residents for Responsible Development are seeking to bring the data center rezoning decision to a November ballot vote.
Taylor, Texas Approves $2.5 Billion Data Center Despite Resident Opposition
The Taylor City Council approved a $2.5 billion, 210-acre AI data center project near the Samsung chip plant, according to the Austin American-Statesman and CBS Austin. The approval came over objections from the Halt Taylor Data Centers Coalition, which had urged the council to delay zoning changes.
As reported by the Taylor Press, Clayton Tucker, secretary of the Texas Farmers Union, called for a statewide moratorium on data centers at a recent press conference. Residents have raised concerns about water consumption, electricity costs, and low-frequency vibrations. A separate lawsuit challenging the previously approved $1 billion Blueprint Data Center on Taylor's south side was dismissed by a state district judge in October but is currently under appeal.
Birmingham Zoning Board Advances Data Center Substation Motion Amid Community Pushback
The Birmingham Zoning Board approved a motion for a proposed data center substation following a four-hour meeting with every seat filled, according to CBS 42 and Spot On Alabama. The substation is intended to power a proposed AI facility by Netherlands-based Nebius along Lakeshore Parkway.
Oxmoor Valley residents voiced opposition to the substation at the zoning meeting, according to Spot On Alabama. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society has also raised concerns, with CEO Allison Black Cornelius telling WBRC that continuous 24/7 noise from the facility could cause extreme stress and behavioral issues for animals at its nearby medical model campus, designed for trauma recovery. The Humane Society submitted questions to Nebius but found the responses on noise levels lacking. No final decision on the data center itself has been made.
Greater Birmingham Humane Society raises concerns about proposed data center
WBRC
Oxmoor Valley residents voice opposition to AI factory substation at zoning meeting (Video)
spotonalabama.com
Motion approved for proposed Birmingham data center substation
CBS 42
Motion approved for proposed Birmingham data center sub station (Video)
spotonalabama.com
Motion approved for proposed Birmingham data center sub station
CBS 42