Data Center Discourse: Scrubgrass Township special meeting addresses supervisors' plans
Scrubgrass Township Supervisors held a special meeting to address a proposed data center by KEEL Infrastructure at its powerplant site, which has drawn concerns from residents. The supervisors hired MPL Law Firm LLC to advise on data center regulation and introduced a proposed ordinance, which will be voted on at their next monthly meeting.
Approximately 100 residents attended a special meeting of the Scrubgrass Township Supervisors to discuss a conceptual data center plan proposed by New York-based KEEL Infrastructure. KEEL, formerly Bitfarms, operates the Scrubgrass Powerplant for cryptocurrency mining and plans to expand its energy infrastructure to support a data center for AI and supercomputing. The proposal has generated significant local concern.
During the meeting, the Supervisors unanimously appointed York-based MPL Law Firm LLC as legal counsel to advise on data center regulation. Andrew Miller of MPL Law Firm presented a 26-page proposed ordinance designed to regulate data centers within Scrubgrass Township. He explained that, lacking a formal zoning ordinance, the township could use general police powers to manage potential health and safety impacts and protect local roads. The proposed ordinance requires developers to submit environmental impact assessments, sound studies, water use studies, and emergency response plans, while explicitly not regulating location, size, or height, which typically fall under zoning.
Following extensive public comment, the Supervisors voted to make the proposed ordinance available for public inspection. A final vote on the ordinance is scheduled for their monthly meeting on July 21. Aaron Hovis, chairman of the Supervisors, indicated that while a comprehensive zoning ordinance is still a possibility, the immediate focus is on implementing regulatory measures to protect residents' interests.