Voters in a Chesco township will be asked whether to expand their board in November amid data center backlash
East Whiteland Township residents in Chester County, Pennsylvania, have successfully petitioned for a November ballot question to expand their Board of Supervisors from three to five members. This initiative stems from significant community backlash against a proposed 1.5 million square-foot data center project, which residents believe was mishandled by the current board. The project's location on a former Superfund site has also raised environmental concerns.
East Whiteland voters in Chester County, Pennsylvania, will decide this November whether to expand their elected Board of Supervisors from three to five members. This ballot initiative was propelled by resident Jessica Larkin and other community members who collected over 500 signatures, driven by staunch opposition to a controversial 1.5 million square-foot data center project.
The proposed data center, developed by Green Fig LLC and Sentinel Data Centers, is planned for the 79-acre former Cyprus Foote Mineral Co. property, a Superfund site located between East and West Whiteland Townships. While the project secured early approvals in 2018 and 2024, renewed developer requests for expansion ignited significant community ire. Residents engaged in widespread opposition, including protests, public comments, and appeals to Governor Josh Shapiro for a statewide moratorium on data center construction.
Following increasing opposition across Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro recently signed an executive order mandating local approval for projects to receive state permits, a measure that could impede many new developments. Larkin highlighted that the push for a larger board, while connected to the data center, reflects broader concerns about township management and future development decisions, emphasizing the need for more diverse representation given the township's nearly 15,000 residents.