Archbald postpones data center hearing after notice error; 100-plus still show up

A public hearing concerning a large data center campus proposed for Archbald, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, was postponed minutes before it was set to begin on Monday evening. Archbald Solicitor James O'Connor announced that the required public notice was not properly advertised in the Scranton Times, despite the borough's prior submission and confirmation. The hearing was intended as the second conditional use review for the Archbald I LLC Data Center Campus, proposed by a Texas-based developer. The plan includes up to 18 two-story data center buildings, each over 150,000 square feet and up to 90 feet tall, across approximately 400 acres near Business Route 6 and Eynon-Jermyn Road, close to Staback Park. Each building could feature nearly 30 emergency diesel generators. Despite the cancellation, over 100 residents filled the auditorium, underscoring intense community concern. Archbald resident Letizia Cwikla expressed distress over the project's scale and proximity to Staback Park, citing environmental worries, particularly given the area's recovery from coal mining damage. Janessa Bednash, a Jermyn resident with the 'Stop Archbald Data Centers' group, voiced frustration over the last-minute postponement, noting the effort involved in mobilizing community members. The 'Stop Archbald Data Centers' group is actively building grassroots opposition, raising money for a legal fund, collecting signatures, and distributing over 700 yard signs. Residents vowed to remain vigilant and attend the rescheduled hearing, for which no new date has been set.