Public split as Salem Township approves 4,000 acre data center campus

The Salem Township Planning Commission in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, has approved a significant zoning amendment that grants 4-3 Glenbrook Group LLC thousands of acres for a 4,000-acre data center campus. The decision followed a contentious public meeting at the Berwick Assembly of God church, where hundreds of residents gathered to voice their opinions.

Supporters of the amendment, many wearing green shirts, highlighted the economic benefits, including land buyouts for over 200 residents. Landowners like Tony Allegrati and Peter Onisick expressed excitement over the financial opportunities, emphasizing their ability to secure their families' futures and educational expenses. They also believe the township's location mitigates common concerns like power and water usage.

Conversely, a vocal minority opposed the development, raising concerns about the environmental and community impacts of future data center construction. Resident Teri Barren lamented that the buyouts had created divisions among neighbors and feared her community would be overtaken by data centers. Despite these objections, the commission voted in favor of the amendment, also instituting a 1,500-foot setback and a 65-foot building height limit for the future facilities.

While the 4,000-acre site has been approved for data center use, no specific data centers have been announced for the land yet. This approval follows two other large data center campus approvals in the area, including a 1,200-acre Amazon Web Services campus and a 1,700-acre QTS campus, both of which are currently underway.