Muncy Township solicitor assures residents data center legal battle could go on for years
Muncy Township Solicitor Joe Orso said ongoing litigation over a proposed data center and Pennsylvania’s revised approval requirements could delay development for years. The township, residents and environmental advocates are challenging the project’s reliance on the deemed approval process, while township officials are preparing a new data center ordinance for public review and possible adoption.
Muncy Township Solicitor Joe Orso told residents that litigation involving a proposed data center could continue for as long as five years, with a possible appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The township has joined residents and environmental advocate Maya van Rossum in challenging the constitutionality of the deemed approval statute, a process the developer has cited in pursuing the project.
Orso said DANKO Holdings and IILP/Fishlips LLC still lack the final plans needed for Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection approval, and he does not expect a data center in the township within the next decade. Township officials are also developing a 20-page data center ordinance addressing concerns including noise, air pollution, water use, energy consumption and environmental impacts. A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4, with adoption planned for December after review and comment.