Wetlands conflicts not expected with data center

Bristol, CT Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu stated that she does not anticipate wetlands or water usage conflicts with a proposed data center development by ReNew Developers LLC. The $50 million project, led by owner John Matheson, involves a 40,000 square foot data center with a four-megawatt fuel cell system on the former "Dodge Village" property at 234 Riverside Ave. The site, which sat vacant for 15 years and was cleared in 2024 using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for remediation, is being redeveloped to address blight. Mayor Zoppo-Sassu noted that the project will eventually go before the Wetlands Commission and that the city's water and sewer superintendent, Rob Longo, is not concerned about water capacity but will request daily and peak water demand figures. She emphasized that the data center's water usage is self-contained and recycled, and the project is smaller in scale than more controversial developments elsewhere. While the fuel cell component received approval from the CT Siting Council, the city will focus on landscaping and appearance, relying on state and federal partners for environmental oversight. The mayor highlighted that the development utilizes a difficult-to-sell Brownfield site, providing an alternative to its continued deterioration.