'I call it a bribe': Pennsylvania residents spurn $10,000 data center checks
Residents of Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, are opposing NorthPoint Development's proposed data center, citing noise, pollution, forest loss and nearby high-voltage power lines. A court-ordered construction halt and municipal moratorium are in place, while the developer is offering a $165 million community package that includes $10,000 payments to households.
Residents of Eagle Rock Resort in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, are fighting NorthPoint Development's proposed data center after more than 1,200 acres near the community were cleared. Residents including Ed Negra and Jeff Fasnacht view the developer's proposed $10,000 payments to households as an attempt to buy support, while also warning that the project could reduce property values and damage the area's forested setting.
Opposition has produced a court-ordered halt to construction and a municipal moratorium. NorthPoint continues to promote a $165 million package for the township and its residents, including funding for public services and payments to 4,500 households. In neighboring Sugarloaf Township, residents are separately contesting high-voltage transmission lines associated with the project, including an eminent domain proceeding involving Erika Cook's property.