Some Falls residents cold to proposed Amazon data center
Falls Township supervisors approved land-use changes for a NorthPoint data center at the Keystone Trade Center, sparking significant resident opposition over concerns like water use, electricity, noise, and property values. Simultaneously, Pennsylvania legislators have introduced bills addressing data center development, including a proposed statewide moratorium and new environmental and energy requirements, while Governor Shapiro announced new development standards following a $20 billion Amazon investment in the state.
Falls Township supervisors have approved land-use changes to allow NorthPoint developers to build a data center at the Keystone Trade Center, a former U.S. Steel site, despite growing resident opposition. The decision, made in a March 2025 meeting, has angered some residents who cite concerns over water usage, increased electric bills, noise pollution, and potential drops in property values. Amanda Westerman has organized a Facebook group, "Falls Township, PA Data Center Resistance," and a petition with over 2,000 signatures against the project.
This local controversy is part of a broader statewide debate in Pennsylvania. Governor Josh Shapiro and Amazon officials announced a $20 billion data center investment in June 2025, including a facility in Falls Township. Following this, Shapiro promoted new "Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards" (GRID) to ensure transparency, community engagement, and environmental protection for data center projects. Simultaneously, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity called for a pause in data center development, criticizing Shapiro for opening the state to these projects without adequate safeguards.
Several state legislators are also proposing bills to address community concerns. State Senator Jarrett Coleman and State Representative Jamie Walsh introduced legislation to repeal a data center sales tax exemption and allow municipalities an 18-month moratorium on new data center applications to revise zoning. State Senator Tracy Pennycuick proposed a package requiring large data centers to procure their own power and use closed-loop water systems, or pay mitigation charges. Her bills also aim to prevent non-disclosure agreements and ban foreign-owned companies of concern from operating data centers in the state, while establishing a Pennsylvania Data Center Advisory Committee to monitor development impacts.
The article also briefly notes similar opposition efforts in Upper Merion and East Vincent Townships, where one developer, Brian O’Neill, faces resistance. The Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group, countered some common criticisms by citing studies on economic contributions and no direct link between data centers and electricity price increases. Residents opposed to the Falls Township project are urged to attend an upcoming Bucks County Commissioners meeting in Doylestown.