‘The Dungeon’: US data centre boom divides Massachusetts neighbourhood
Markley Group's data center in Lowell has divided nearby residents, with neighbors citing noise, dust, fumes, cooling-tower mist and potential water contamination. Lowell's city council enacted a 360-day moratorium on new commercial data center construction and expansions, while residents and the Conservation Law Foundation sued over Markley's planned expansion and won a temporary injunction.
Markley Group's data center in Lowell, Massachusetts, has become a focal point in the debate over the region's expanding data center industry. Nearby residents, including retiree Eileen Castle and Honest Future for Lowell founder Jake Fortes, blame the facility for persistent noise, dust, fumes and cooling-tower mist, while supporters say the redevelopment created jobs and improved a formerly abandoned property. Markley CEO Jeff Markley said the company has reduced generator noise, tests water for Legionnaires' disease and employs more than 100 full-time workers in Lowell.
The Lowell City Council unanimously approved a 360-day moratorium on construction and expansion of commercial data centers in March, although Markley's existing 352,000-square-foot facility was grandfathered in. Residents represented by the Conservation Law Foundation sued over an expansion that would increase the site to 27 generators, and a court issued a temporary injunction in August. The dispute reflects broader tensions in Massachusetts over data center jobs and investment versus neighborhood impacts and environmental concerns.