Indiana County Planning Commission Tables Amazon Data Center Proposal Amid Resident Opposition
Residents of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, voiced strong opposition to Amazon's proposal for 36 data centers at the former Homer City power plant site, citing concerns over noise and water usage. The Indiana County Planning Commission subsequently tabled the preliminary master land development plan, indicating a need for further questions and potentially outside engineering assessments. This action reflects significant community resistance to the project.
Dozens of Indiana County residents packed the county courthouse for a Planning Commission meeting to address a proposal by Amazon Web Services to construct 36 data centers at the former Homer City power plant site.
More than 100 people attended, including representatives from Amazon, as residents expressed significant concerns regarding noise pollution, potential water damage, and a lack of clear answers about the project. One resident directly told Amazon, "Indiana County does not welcome you, we do not want you here and we will fight you until 2036 and all those buildings are completed and beyond." Another resident mentioned dashed lines on her property in an AWS blueprint map, stating she was never contacted.
The proposal involves Amazon Data Services acquiring approximately 2,200 acres in Center and Blacklick Townships, seeking approval for a preliminary master land development plan to establish a six-phase data center campus. Amazon estimates the campus could create 1,500 to 2,000 permanent jobs with average salaries between $80,000 and $100,000. Power for the facility would come from First Energy, supported by a 4.5GW natural gas generation facility. Amazon also stated plans to use existing water withdrawal rights and treatment facilities, returning non-contact cooling water to the Homer City station for reuse.
Despite Amazon's attempts to address concerns, the Planning Commission motioned to table the proposal, indicating that they have more questions and may bring in county or outside engineers to assess the proposed campus.