Butler Twp. schedules special hearing for proposed 600-acre data center
The Butler Township Board of Supervisors will hold a special public hearing on August 18 to consider two zoning amendments related to a proposed 600-acre data center. Residents have voiced significant environmental and economic concerns, particularly regarding noise and water usage. The board will vote on the amendments following the hearing.
The Butler Township Board of Supervisors is scheduled to host a special public hearing on August 18 to discuss two proposed zoning amendments concerning a 600-acre data center project. The project is a joint venture between Nebius, LLC, NorthPoint Development, and the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation, slated for the Highridge Business Park.
Residents, particularly from Gordon, have expressed strong opposition due to environmental concerns over the facility's water consumption and potential noise pollution. They also raised economic worries about the data center industry's reliance on AI replacing local jobs. One of the proposed zoning amendments seeks to reduce the maximum permissible noise level for such projects from 75 to 65 decibels, while the other aims to expand the project's permitted use area.
Nebius Vice President of Public Affairs John Sutter addressed some of these concerns, confirming the facility's use of a 25% glycol wash in its pipes and highlighting a $17.4 billion deal with Microsoft, whose AI models would benefit from the computing capacity. Sutter also referenced Nebius's operational data center in Vineland, New Jersey, which generates about 50 decibels of ambient noise, though that facility is currently under investigation by the Cumberland County Department of Health following resident complaints. Another Nebius facility in Birmingham, Alabama, also faces an ongoing lawsuit.
Despite the controversies, Sutter emphasized Nebius's