Appvion property under evaluation for potential data center construction

The former Appvion papermill property in Taylor Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania, is being considered as a potential data center site by TerraWatt LLC. The company has contacted Taylor Township officials to gather information regarding permits and land development ordinances, marking the initial phase of their assessment.

In anticipation of such developments, Taylor Township officials were already amending their Land Development Ordinance to incorporate regulations specific to data centers. These proposed changes, which address concerns such as buffers, noise, stormwater management, and water usage, have been submitted to the Blair County Planning Commission for review. Township Supervisor Chairman Jerome Dodson expects the supervisors to hold a special meeting in mid-October to act on the commission's approved changes.

Taylor Township Solicitor Patrick Fanelli clarified that while the changes cannot outright ban data centers, they aim to mitigate potential impacts, particularly concerning an air-cooled facility's water draw from municipal systems or ground sources, and a water-cooled facility's capacity demands. David Daneshforooz, founder of Contour and co-founder of Greywater Capital, is identified as a partner in TerraWatt LLC, a company that also holds a conditional use permit for a $3 billion data center in St. Louis. Stephen McKnight, president and CEO of the Altoona Blair County Development Corporation, views the Appvion site as one of the few in the county suitable for a large data center and emphasizes the importance of negotiating community impact agreements upfront.