Data center developer offers $10,000 to Hazle Township residents amid opposition
NorthPoint Development offered $10,000 to each of Hazle Township's 4,500 households to gain support for its proposed 15-building data center campus after local officials rejected the project due to zoning issues. The developer also faces a lawsuit from the township, which has enacted a temporary moratorium on data center construction while it updates zoning laws. Residents remain skeptical of the offer, citing concerns over property values and potential bribery.
NorthPoint Development is attempting to garner support for its proposed 15-building data center campus on 1,300 acres in Hazle Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, by offering $10,000 to each of the community's 4,500 households, totaling $45 million. This effort comes after Hazle Township officials rejected the project last year due to zoning issues, a decision that prompted a lawsuit from NorthPoint which is currently in litigation. The township has also enacted a temporary moratorium on data center construction to update its zoning laws.
Brent Miles, chief marketing officer at NorthPoint, indicated in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the company plans an additional $120 million in community investments over 15 years, including funds for the police department. He claimed the company has converted nearly 100 initially skeptical residents by addressing concerns about water, energy costs, and noise.
However, many residents remain unconvinced, with some expressing concerns about property value depreciation outweighing the $10,000 offer. Carl Majusiak, a retiree, rejected the offer, stating, "we don’t need that around here." Jeff Fasnacht, another retiree, calculated that "$10,000 doesn’t match how much it’s going to tank my property value." Ed Negra, an organizer of the opposition, highlighted the widespread local sentiment, asking, "Are they trying to bribe us here?"