Falls Township schedules public meeting amid data center opposition
Falls Township hosted a public meeting to address strong community opposition to an Amazon data center nearing completion. Residents, citing a petition with 3,800 signatures, voiced concerns about escalating utility rates and environmental impacts, urging a moratorium on data center construction. Officials have scheduled another public meeting with Amazon, PECO, and the PA DEP to provide information and address these fears.
A standing-room-only crowd gathered at a recent Falls Township Supervisors' meeting to protest an Amazon data center under construction at the Keystone Trade Center. Despite the project's plans being finalized by the Falls Township Board of Supervisors in March 2025 and construction nearing completion, residents called for a pause in development and the enactment of a data center moratorium.
Concerns raised by the community included the potential for skyrocketing water and electric rates due to increased utility demands from the data center, alongside worries about its environmental impacts. Speakers informed the board about a petition opposing the data center, which has collected 3,800 signatures since May.
In response to the community's apprehension, Falls Township officials have scheduled a public town hall meeting for July 14 at Pennsbury High School East. This meeting aims to address residents' fears and provide answers, featuring presentations from PECO, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Amazon, followed by a question-and-answer session.