Clinton Township Planning Commission rejects data center application
The Clinton Township Planning Commission in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, rejected a data center application after a public meeting where hundreds of residents voiced strong opposition. Residents expressed concerns about the project's impact on their rural way of life and high water usage.
The Clinton Township Planning Commission in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, rejected a data center application following a public meeting where hundreds of residents voiced strong opposition. The proposed project involved 21 buildings on approximately 700 acres in western Wayne County. The gathering saw "standing room only" as area residents came to express their concerns regarding the development.
During the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, residents highlighted perceived deficiencies in the application. Community members, including James Saffron who hired an attorney, expressed fears that the data center would jeopardize their rural way of life and significantly increase water usage, citing estimates of 100,000 to 500,000 gallons per day for large data centers. The township solicitor limited public comment strictly to the completeness of the application.
After public input, the board entered a brief executive session before returning to vote on the application's completeness. The motion to deem the submission "incomplete" passed, effectively rejecting the application. Chris Langel, representing the applicant, stated they would be evaluating the decision, while resident James Saffron characterized the rejection as "the very first step in a long journey." The report was delivered by News3's Preston Erler from the Pike County Newsroom.