Valley View joins Archbald in data center legal battle, challenges borough zoning
The Valley View School District has joined a legal battle against data center development in Archbald, Pennsylvania, voting to intervene in an existing "deemed approval" lawsuit against developer Archbald I LLC. Additionally, the district is challenging the validity of Archbald's data center zoning ordinance through a curative amendment, aiming to prevent data centers and a proposed 400-megawatt power plant from being built near its schools due to health, safety, and property value concerns.
The Valley View School District has escalated its opposition to data center development in Archbald, Pennsylvania, by initiating a two-pronged legal strategy. During a recent board of education meeting, directors voted to intervene in a "deemed approval" lawsuit filed by developer Archbald I LLC against the Borough of Archbald. This lawsuit stems from a procedural error that the developer, operating as Provident Data Centers, claims should result in automatic approval for its proposed 18-building "Project Scott campus" on Eynon Jermyn Road.
Simultaneously, the school district is challenging the validity of Archbald's existing data center zoning ordinance through a curative amendment under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. This action aims to establish new zoning restrictions that would prevent data centers and a proposed 400-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant by Essential Energy LLC from being developed near Valley View's intermediate, middle, and high schools. Board Director Joseph Farrell emphasized concerns over potential impacts on students' health and safety, air quality issues from diesel generators, and the financial implications of reduced property values for the district.
The legal actions highlight increasing tensions surrounding data center proliferation in Lackawanna County, particularly in Archbald, where six projects totaling 51 buildings are proposed. Archbald Borough Council had previously denied the conditional use application for Archbald I LLC's campus due to community pushback and concerns, leading to the ongoing legal dispute. The Valley View School District's intervention and curative amendment propose limiting future data center development to areas east of the Casey Highway, further intensifying the legal and political landscape for data center projects in the region.