Lowell, Massachusetts, Residents Protest Markley Group Data Center Expansion Amid Legal Challenges
Residents in Lowell, Massachusetts, are intensely opposing the Markley Group's data center expansion due to concerns over noise, air pollution, and environmental impact. The city council enacted a temporary moratorium on new data center construction, but Markley claims this does not apply to its existing expansion plans, prompting residents to file multiple lawsuits and stage protests. A court is currently reviewing a request for an injunction to halt the installation of new diesel generators.
Residents of Lowell, Massachusetts, are embroiled in a significant dispute with the Markley Group over the proposed expansion of its large data center, which has been operating in a residential area for over a decade. The opposition has escalated into a "crisis point," characterized by protests outside Lowell City Hall and a series of legal challenges. Community members, including Amada Moundele and Sienna Herbert, express concerns about the facility's impact, citing noise from emergency generators and cooling fans, chemical odors, and cooling-tower mist affecting their properties.
In response to growing community pressure, the Lowell City Council unanimously enacted a 360-day temporary moratorium in March on new data center construction and expansion, aiming to allow time for studying environmental and infrastructure impacts. However, the Markley Group subsequently filed a legal challenge, leading to an agreement that permits the company to proceed with expansion plans that predated the moratorium. This outcome has frustrated residents who fear unchecked expansion and view the moratorium as effectively nullified for the Markley project.
Currently, Markley faces two resident-led lawsuits: a class-action suit concerning noise pollution and an environmental/administrative suit regarding air quality permits for new diesel generators. In Middlesex County Superior Court, residents sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the installation and operation of these additional generators, arguing that the state failed to adequately assess combined impacts, address health risks, or consider cleaner alternatives. Adam Reynolds of the Conservation Law Foundation highlighted the community's demand for a transparent process.
The Markley Group maintains that residents' concerns are overblown and represent a vocal minority. Chief Legal Officer Devon Cutchins stated that the company has invested over $650 million in the community, mitigated negative impacts, and is confident in prevailing in court, dismissing the lawsuits as "without merit." The company emphasizes its role in providing critical digital infrastructure for local businesses, hospitals, and universities, and asserts its right to proceed with expansion plans under prior permits, despite the moratorium. A ruling on the injunction is expected in several weeks.