Cumberland County business clears up confusion after being linked to debate on data centers

Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses, a local business in Cumberland County, has spoken out after being mistakenly caught in an online debate surrounding a proposed data center in Monroe Township. The confusion led to a social media frenzy and calls for a boycott of Ashcombe's nursery on Monday. The business clarified that while a data center is proposed on land that shares the 'Ashcombe' name (due to the area's history with ash trees), their specific company is not involved in selling land for the project. The proposed data center project stems from a letter submitted to Monroe Township by a joint venture partnership between Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and Powerhouse Data Centers. Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses stated they were only aware of a housing development project on adjacent land and had no knowledge of the data center proposal until the online backlash erupted. Like many in the community, the owners expressed serious concerns about the potential environmental impacts on areas like the Yellow Breeches Creek, traffic impacts, and property values. Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses intends to attend upcoming meetings regarding the data center proposal. They were previously involved in discussions for the housing development, working with engineers on aspects like preserving green space and walking paths. The next public meeting is scheduled for June 11th at the Monroe Township Building, where the business plans to voice its concerns. FOX43 News has reached out to Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and Powerhouse Data Centers for comment.