Overflow crowd cancels data center meeting

A Forward Township planning commission meeting concerning a proposed data center in Butler County, Pennsylvania, was unexpectedly postponed on Thursday, September 24, after an overflow crowd of protesting residents exceeded the municipal building's 100-person capacity. Dozens of residents, holding protest signs and engaging in shouting matches, gathered to voice their strong opposition to the development planned for the Misty Hollow Farm property on Prospect Road. Township Supervisor Susan Oliver-Stough stated that while a large turnout was expected, the extent of the crowd was unforeseen.

The proposed data center complex, set to occupy a one-million square-foot parcel adjacent to Connoquenessing Creek, would include an on-site 300-MW power-generation facility, office and security buildings, and a wastewater treatment facility. Resident Billie Jo Rice, whose property is entirely within the project area, reported that the developer, identified as 614 Prospect RD LLC, has pressured her to leave, even threatening to build a fence and billboard around her home. Other residents like Dean Catalano criticized the township for a perceived lack of transparency regarding public outreach and raised concerns about the data center's potential impact on the already polluted Connoquenessing Creek and rising utility costs for the community.

Lead project developer Allen Sherwood expressed disappointment over the postponement, emphasizing the potential significance of the "Misty Hollow Energy and Data Campus" for Butler County and his desire for transparent conversations. The meeting has been rescheduled for the following Thursday at 7 p.m. in a larger maintenance garage, which can accommodate approximately 200 people, with officials planning to rent sound and projection equipment to facilitate the presentation of plans.