Decision delayed on data center, again, in Cumberland County
A contentious meeting in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, regarding a data center project was abruptly halted due to the solicitor's illness, delaying a crucial vote. This delay, coupled with a statewide executive order from Governor Josh Shapiro impacting new data center developments, temporarily averted automatic approval of the project despite strong public opposition.
A highly anticipated meeting concerning a data center development in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, took an unexpected turn when the township's solicitor, Keith Redovian, became ill and was rushed to the hospital. The abrupt cessation of the meeting resulted in the postponement of a critical vote on the data center project's final approval.
Opponents of the data center expressed significant frustration over a perceived lack of transparency, arguing that the public received insufficient notice about "life-altering ordinance changes" and only saw the final proposal in an unreadable format at the meeting itself. A lawyer representing the opposition highlighted that this was the public's last opportunity to comment before final approval.
Adding to the complexity, the meeting occurred a day after Governor Josh Shapiro issued an executive order aimed at halting "almost all new data center development" across Pennsylvania. While the Shapiro administration indicated five specific data centers could proceed, the Cumberland County project was not among them. The postponement of the vote, which would have otherwise led to automatic approval for the developer, was seen as a temporary victory by opponents. The developer ultimately agreed to extend the deadline until September 2nd, preventing the automatic approval that would have resulted from no vote being cast.