Residents wage 11th-hour fight over proposed data center in rural Washington County community
Residents in Hanover Township, Washington County, are mounting an "11th-hour fight" against a proposed eight-building data center campus, which includes a natural gas power plant. The community fears noise, pollution, and health impacts, despite the developer asserting the project will bring jobs and tax revenue without disruption. A final council meeting is scheduled for August 5th where residents hope to stop or delay the development.
Residents of Hanover Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, are actively opposing a large-scale data center campus proposed for a 126-acre former strip mine within an industrial park. The project, slated to include eight buildings and a natural gas power plant, has sparked fears among residents like Gary Munko and Katie Weber about increased noise, pollution, infrasound, emissions, and a loss of the community's tranquility.
Developer Alex Paris, who owns the land and has a sales agreement with Texas-based Prime Data Centers, argues that the remote, post-industrial site is ideal for the facility, which he claims will not create traffic, pollution, or noise issues for most residents. Paris estimates the project will generate thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent positions, and $10 million to $15 million annually in local tax revenue.
Despite the project meeting existing zoning requirements and complying with a recently passed data center ordinance, residents contend they were blindsided by the development's advanced stage. They criticize the ordinance as too accommodating, lacking sufficient setbacks and adequate noise level restrictions, and accuse Paris and the Miller family of using political influence. A final council meeting is scheduled for August 5th, where residents plan a significant turnout in an attempt to halt or postpone the development.