5-Town residents pack zoning meeting over data center concerns
Residents from several communities in Washington County, Pennsylvania, packed a zoning meeting to express strong opposition to a potential AI data center planned by EQT Ventures LLC on a former steel mill property. Though no formal application has been filed, residents are urging local officials to enact restrictive zoning ordinances and a moratorium to deter the development, citing concerns about noise, water, electricity, and environmental impact. Local officials explained limitations under state law but suggested a municipal curative amendment process could allow for a 180-day review of regulations.
Over 80 residents from the Five-Town communities of Allenport, Stockdale, Roscoe, Elco, and Dunlevy, Pennsylvania, attended a Mid Mon Valley Multi-Municipal Zoning Hearing Board meeting to voice their strong opposition to a potential artificial intelligence data center.
The concern stems from EQT Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of EQT Corp., holding an exclusive option to purchase approximately 400 acres of the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel mill property, now known as Mon River Industrial Park, which spans Allenport, Dunlevy, and Stockdale boroughs. Despite no formal land development or zoning application being filed, residents' anxieties intensified after EQT launched a "Monongahela Valley" website promoting the site for AI infrastructure, highlighting its access to natural gas, water, transportation, and electrical transmission.
Stockdale Councilwomen Sherri Martin and Bobbi Schoch led the residents' presentation, outlining documented negative impacts of large-scale data centers, including continuous noise, light pollution, high water and electricity consumption, diesel generator emissions, and potential environmental and property value concerns. They urged local officials for total transparency and to enact "cumbersome and restrictive" moratoriums and ordinances to deter EQT or any other data center developer. Schoch specifically called for a six-month moratorium on data center-related applications and permits.
Dennis Martinak, planning consultant and zoning officer, clarified that under Pennsylvania law, municipalities cannot outright prohibit a legal land use. However, he suggested that adopting a municipal curative amendment could provide a 180-day review period for officials to evaluate regulations for data centers and related energy infrastructure. Board Chairman Paul Doman reiterated that the board administers ordinances and does not create policy, advising residents to engage their borough councils and state legislators.