Lackawanna County residents implore commissioners to OK data center health-impact study
Lackawanna County residents are urging county commissioners to approve a $165,000 health-impact study on data center and power plant developments. While one commissioner supports the immediate approval, two others want to solicit more proposals, leading to frustration among the opposition. A motion to place the EmPower Analytics Group proposal on a future meeting agenda for a vote failed due to lack of a second.
Residents of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, packed a commissioners meeting to demand approval for a $165,000 health-impact study on proposed data center and power plant developments. The proposal, solicited by Democratic Commissioner Bill Gaughan from EmPower Analytics Group, aims to assess the cumulative air quality and public health impacts across the county, which has seen numerous data center proposals.
The grassroots opposition movement, with members from areas like Archbald, sees the study as crucial for influencing municipal land use decisions and potential future legal challenges. However, Democratic Commissioner Thom Welby and Republican Commissioner Chris Chermak expressed reservations about immediately approving the EmPower Analytics project. While both stated support for the goal of a health-impact study, they insisted the county should solicit additional proposals and explore financial partners to ensure the project is done correctly.
Gaughan and the residents argued there is no time to wait, highlighting the potential health impacts from backup diesel generators and natural gas power plants associated with data centers. Despite emotional pleas from residents like Kayleigh Cornell and Eva Rappenglueck, Gaughan's motion to place the EmPower proposal on the agenda for a vote died for lack of a second from Welby or Chermak. The two commissioners reiterated their commitment to a study but maintained the need for a thorough process, with Welby indicating officials would move quickly to seek out other potential proposals and that a vote on a study is likely at their next meeting.