Linde’s proposed data center in Wayne County would have 21 buildings
Linde Corporation has proposed a large data center, including 20 data halls and two natural gas generating facilities, near the village of Browndale in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The Clinton Township Planning Commission rejected the initial application due to incompleteness. Residents are highly organized in their opposition, prompting the township to consider new data center regulations.
Linde Corporation, based in Pittston, has submitted preliminary plans for a massive industrial data center complex on a 662-acre tract adjacent to the village of Browndale in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The proposed facility would include 20 data hall buildings, two natural gas power generation plants, two electrical substations, an administration building, and water treatment infrastructure. The plans, prepared by Kimley-Horn & Associates, indicate a PJM interconnection to bolster the electrical grid.
The Clinton Township Planning Commission recently rejected Linde Corporation's initial application package, citing incompleteness. Interim solicitor Ronald Bugaj has advised the commission to schedule a public hearing for the applicant to present the project and address community concerns once a revised, complete application is submitted.
The proposed data center has faced significant community resistance, drawing 150 to 200 residents to each of the four township meetings where it has been discussed. Local residents have organized a Facebook group and are raising funds to hire legal representation, expressing deep skepticism and determination to halt the project. Their efforts include engaging township officials to explore regulatory avenues.
In response to resident concerns and the proposed development, Clinton Township officials are considering amending the township's subdivision and land development ordinance to include data center-specific regulations and exploring the adoption of a broader township-wide zoning ordinance. However, Bugaj cautioned that any new regulations enacted after the application submission might only apply to future projects.