Sides continue to feud over massive data center proposed for Genesee County

A significant conflict is unfolding in Genesee County, New York, concerning Stream Data Centers' plans to construct one of the nation's largest data centers at the Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in the town of Alabama. The nearly $20 billion project, which stands to receive approximately $1.5 billion in subsidies, is promoted by Stream Data Centers for its potential to create 1,200 construction jobs, 125 permanent jobs, and generate hundreds of millions in local payments. However, opposition groups, including the Friends of the Seneca Tuscarora Nation and the Sierra Club, have voiced strong disapproval. On Monday, they released a study by the Applied Economics Clinic, which they assert raises critical questions about the project's economic benefits. Sarah Howard of the Friends of the Seneca Tuscarora Nation stated that STAMP is an "inappropriate location for a mega industrial site and also for a data center." Opponents also cited concerns over noise, light pollution, potential impact on local wildlife refuges, and the use of rural farmland over existing brownfield sites, as highlighted by David Alton of Batavia. In response, the Genesee County Economic Development Council swiftly dismissed the Applied Economics Clinic's report as "significantly flawed" and "intentionally skewed" to generate misleading information during the ongoing review process. Bradley Wells, a Senior Project Development Manager for Stamp Data Centers, emphasized the project's modern design and its suitability for Genesee County's designated industrial area. A public hearing is scheduled for Thursday at the Alabama Fire Hall, where opponents plan to further express their views.