Lawrence Township Council Introduces Ordinance to Ban Data Centers Townshipwide
The Lawrence Township Council unanimously introduced an ordinance that would prohibit data centers in every township zoning district, citing concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise, heat and environmental impacts. The proposed ban still requires Planning Board review and a subsequent council vote before it could take effect, while opposition continues against a data center under construction in nearby South Brunswick.
The Lawrence Township Council unanimously introduced an ordinance on Oct. 5 that would amend local land-use regulations to prohibit data centers townshipwide. Councilwoman Bonne O’Flannegan Giglio said the measure is intended to address infrastructure, energy, water, noise, heat and public-health concerns before a developer submits an application. The proposal has not been adopted and will first go to the Lawrence Township Planning Board for review before returning to the council.
The ordinance comes as regional opposition grows to the 341,000-square-foot Sentinel Data Center project under construction in South Brunswick. Princeton officials have urged the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to deny or revise the facility’s air permit, citing emissions from 20 planned diesel generators and potential impacts on nearby neighborhoods and schools. The NJDEP extended the public comment period to Nov. 9, while state legislators encouraged residents to participate. Separately, New Jersey imposed a penalty exceeding $1 million on DataOne over alleged air-pollution violations involving unpermitted natural-gas generators in Vineland, adding to calls for stronger statewide data-center restrictions.