Archbald council to decide Wildcat Ridge’s fate as data center hearings end
Archbald Borough Council is set to decide the fate of the contentious Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus within 45 days, following over seven months of hearings and widespread public opposition. The developer, Cornell Realty Management LLC, recently had motions to recuse council members denied. The project faces criticism for its significant water and electricity demands, as well as its proposed location in a residentially and conservation-zoned area.
The Archbald Borough Council is preparing to render a decision on the highly controversial Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus, developed by Brooklyn-based Cornell Realty Management LLC. The decision, expected within 45 days, follows more than seven months, nine hearings, and over 20 hours of public testimony marked by widespread community opposition.
The proposed project includes 14 two-story data centers, totaling over 2.8 million square feet across 574 mountainside acres above Eynon and Sturges. It has drawn criticism for its substantial resource requirements, including an estimated 3.3 million gallons of water daily during peak summer and 1.6 gigawatts of electricity, exceeding the output of Lackawanna County's largest power plant. Additionally, the campus plans to use 588 diesel generators, fueled by nearly 1.2 million gallons of onsite diesel, for backup power.
Attorneys for the developer attempted to force the recusal of the seven council members, alleging bias, but the borough denied six of these motions, with council members submitting affidavits affirming their impartiality. The project's location is particularly contentious, as the undeveloped mountainside is zoned for residential and conservation uses, although a previous council majority adopted a zoning ordinance conditionally allowing data centers in an overlay district last year. This prior decision faced significant backlash, leading to the resignation of four council members after a petition signed by over 800 residents called for their removal.
The final public hearing at Valley View High School drew approximately 350 attendees, concluding with closing arguments from both Wildcat Ridge attorney Edmund J. Campbell Jr., and attorney Justin Richards, representing members of Stop Archbald Data Centers, an opposition group challenging the borough's data center zoning.