Upper Burrell residents question ordinance on data center development
Residents in Upper Burrell, Pennsylvania are raising concerns about a draft data center ordinance being developed by township supervisors, focusing on issues like generators, water usage, and noise from future expansions by developer Tech Fusion. A 180-day moratorium on new data center development has been enacted to facilitate the creation of these new regulations.
Residents of Upper Burrell Township, Pennsylvania, have voiced significant concerns regarding a draft ordinance aimed at regulating data center development during a recent meeting with township supervisors. The proposed ordinance follows a 180-day moratorium enacted a month prior, suggested by resident Allen Uhler, to establish comprehensive rules for such facilities.
The focus of the discussion is Tech Fusion, a data center developer that acquired the former Alcoa Arconic campus in Upper Burrell. While Tech Fusion's current conversion of a building, previously used by Alcoa as a data center, is grandfathered and exempt from new regulations, residents anticipate future expansions. They are demanding more specific information on potential generators, water consumption, noise levels, and waste disposal from closed-loop cooling systems.
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Ross G. Walker III, stated that the draft ordinance, which includes provisions like limiting development to industrial zones as conditional use and requiring 1,000-foot setbacks from residential properties, is "about 90% there." Residents, however, still feel their questions are unanswered and are urging the supervisors to consider the community's benefit, including internet access. A public information meeting is scheduled at Penn State New Kensington, which concerned residents plan to attend to provide further input.