Project Green Mountain data center hearing in Archbald focuses on generators, traffic

Archbald Borough Council conducted its second conditional use hearing for Project Green Mountain, a proposed data center campus by developer Green Mountain 6 LLC. The project entails seven two-story, 138,000-square-foot data centers on a nearly 271-acre tract east of the Casey Highway. The hearing, attended by over 100 residents and local officials, focused heavily on air emissions from the planned 196 backup diesel generators, each capable of storing up to 10,000 gallons of fuel. Heidi Rous, a permitting and compliance lead with engineering firm Kimley-Horn, testified on the need for an air quality operating permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the generators' limited operational hours for testing and emergencies. Civil engineer Brett Littlejohn also testified on the project's traffic impacts and ongoing work with the state Department of Transportation for a traffic study. Community opposition was evident, with representatives from Stop Archbald Data Centers, including co-founder Tamara Misewicz-Healey and attorney Justin Richards, actively questioning the developer's representatives. Council members also voiced numerous concerns and inquiries about the project's details. This hearing marked the first time a newly restructured Archbald Borough Council presided over a data center hearing, with several new members joining after previous resignations that coincided with an 800-plus-resident petition related to data center dealings. The next hearing is scheduled for June 18, where the developer will present testimony from a noise expert, followed by public testimony before any council vote on the project.