Moosic to weigh comprehensive data center zoning ordinance on Monday
Moosic Borough Council is set to consider a comprehensive ordinance that would regulate and restrict data centers, including a ban on using backup generators to support the electric grid. This proposed legislation is the culmination of nearly a year of work, driven by concerns over noise, emissions, and resource consumption amidst numerous data center proposals across Lackawanna County. The ordinance outlines stringent requirements for zoning, environmental impact, and operational plans.
Moosic Borough Council in Pennsylvania is scheduled to vote on a comprehensive ordinance Monday, July 31, to regulate and restrict the data center industry within its manufacturing zones. The proposed 18-page document, which recognizes "computer data centers and high-density computing facilities" as special exceptions, would require developers to adhere to a slew of restrictions and present their projects to the Moosic Zoning Hearing Board for public consideration.
Key provisions of the ordinance address evolving concerns, particularly prohibiting data centers from using backup generators for peak shaving or to supply power to the grid, limiting their operation to power outages and maintenance, capped at 100 hours annually. This restriction comes amid efforts by the U.S. Department of Energy and PJM Interconnection to increasingly rely on data centers' backup generators for grid reliability, a practice that has raised environmental concerns due to significant diesel emissions. Other regulations include a 45-foot maximum building height, 500-foot setbacks from residential areas, mandatory sound and vibration studies, and a ban on private groundwater wells for cooling if public water is available. Facilities must use closed-loop cooling systems unless an alternative demonstrating less water and energy use is presented.
Additional requirements mandate detailed water utilization reports, drought contingency plans, energy management plans emphasizing renewable energy, emergency management plans for residents within a half-mile radius, and thermal impact and electronic waste studies. The ordinance also calls for comprehensive decommissioning plans, landscape buffers, and aesthetic standards. According to Council President Marilyn French, Moosic has not yet received any data center applications, but the borough's commitment to thoughtful land use regulation is a response to the nearly 100 data centers proposed across Lackawanna County.