Upper Burrell Planning Commission delays recommendation regarding data center ordinance
The Upper Burrell Planning Commission delayed its recommendation for a new data center ordinance due to resident concerns. The township supervisors aim to pass the ordinance by November 2, before an existing moratorium on data center development expires. Residents are pushing for stricter environmental protections, noise regulations, and third-party inspections.
The Upper Burrell Planning Commission has delayed its recommendation on the township's latest draft data center ordinance, following significant concerns voiced by residents on September 15. The commission has urged residents to relay their issues directly to the township supervisors.
Township supervisors are working to pass the ordinance by November 2, before the current moratorium on new data center development lapses. The proposed ordinance would apply to new developments at sites like the TECfusions data center, located at the former Alcoa/Arconic research and development campus, but not to its existing operations which began before the moratorium.
Residents, including Beth Ostrosky and Megan Koscianski, expressed desires for stronger protections, questioning enforcement mechanisms, noise impacts on nearby homes, and environmental baseline measurements. Ostrosky specifically advocated for third-party inspections of the TECfusions site, with costs covered by the developer. Supervisor Scott Brown noted limitations on what the township can mandate without being accused of "pay to play" practices, but indicated a community benefit agreement might be explored after the ordinance passes.
The draft ordinance, which has been presented before, mandates a 5- to 10-year master plan from developers, requires data centers to provide their own baseload power, and includes stipulations for water usage, environmental impact studies, noise, and security. Westmoreland County's approval is also necessary before the ordinance can be finalized by the township.