Upper Macungie Township Board Denies Air Products Data Center Application
The Upper Macungie Township Zoning Hearing Board unanimously denied Air Products' application to construct a 2.6 million-square-foot data center at its former headquarters, a decision met with cheers from opposed residents. Air Products is expected to appeal the ruling. State legislators, including Sen. Jarrett Coleman, are proposing bills to repeal data center tax breaks and allow municipalities to enact moratoriums on data center development, citing concerns over energy, water, and noise.
The Upper Macungie Township Zoning Hearing Board has unanimously denied Air Products' request to construct a massive 2.6 million-square-foot data center complex at its former headquarters along Cetronia Road. The decision, made before a large crowd of opposing residents, blocks the company's plan to build the data center in the township's light industrial district.
Residents, like Michelle Albino, expressed satisfaction that their voices were heard, indicating that this is an initial step in their ongoing opposition to data centers and AI development. Air Products' attorney, Blake Marles, declined to comment, but the company is expected to appeal the board's decision.
State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, who attended the hearing, praised the board's decision, stating that data centers do not fit in the Lehigh Valley and that this project specifically would be a significant nuisance. Senator Coleman, alongside Rep. Jamie Walsh, has introduced a package of bills in the state Senate and House. These bills aim to repeal the 2021 tax break for data centers in Pennsylvania and empower municipalities to place an 18-month moratorium on data center development applications to allow for zoning ordinance revisions related to power, water, and noise issues.
Air Products had submitted its data center plan in November, similar to a prior warehouse proposal for the 194-acre site, seeking to determine if a data center was permitted under the old ordinance, given that the township updated its laws on data centers in December. Residents, including Marine Yutz, voiced concerns about pollution, higher bills, and water problems, describing the project as a "terrible idea" for the neighborhood.