Ransom Twp. officials pass data center ordinance
Ransom Township supervisors approved a 40-page ordinance regulating future data center applications, including limits on building height and noise and rules governing location and decommissioning. A data center application denied by the township in January remains in litigation in Lackawanna County courts.
Ransom Township supervisors approved a comprehensive data center ordinance intended to protect residents’ health and safety while establishing rules for future projects. The 40-page measure defines data centers, regulates application requirements, limits building height and noise, and directs large-scale facilities toward locations less visible from roads and nearby homes.
The ordinance also establishes procedures for decommissioning a facility if an approved project is later shut down. State law prevents municipalities from imposing an outright ban on data centers, but allows them to regulate where such developments may be built. Meanwhile, the data center application rejected by township officials in January remains under litigation in Lackawanna County courts.