Coalition forms in opposition to proposed Forward Township data center
Residents in Forward Township have formed the Misty Hollow Data Center Coalition to oppose a proposed 1-million-square-foot data center campus on Prospect Road. The project, which would include a 300-megawatt power generation facility and wastewater treatment plant, is scheduled for review by the Forward Township Planning Commission amid concerns about noise, wildlife, water and quality-of-life impacts.
Residents near the proposed data center site in Forward Township have organized the Misty Hollow Data Center Coalition ahead of a planning commission meeting on the project. The proposed 232.4-acre campus would include a roughly 1-million-square-foot data center, a 300-megawatt power generation facility, office and security buildings, and a wastewater treatment facility. A prior meeting was postponed after attendance exceeded the municipal building’s capacity.
Nearby property owners Lynda Weakland and Rodney Gasch cited concerns about continuous low-frequency noise, light pollution, effects on wildlife and potential damage to nearby homes and farmland. Project lead Allen Sherwood said noise mitigation, environmental reviews and permitting would be part of the design process, and said the project would use closed-loop, glycol-based cooling rather than water from Connoquenessing Creek.
State Rep. Aaron Bernstine said he has heard from dozens of residents but lacks authority to decide where the project is located, leaving the proposal to municipal review. The Forward Township Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the proposal at a meeting at the township maintenance garage.