Elizabeth Township data center proposal still in early stages after contentious town hall
Developers are proposing a 20-building data center campus on a former U.S. Steel waste site in Elizabeth Township, but the project remains in its early planning stages. Residents voiced strong concerns at a contentious town hall about its scale, environmental effects, noise, water use and proximity to homes, while township commissioners continue fact-finding.
An Eastern Pennsylvania developer, Tim Hendricks, is proposing a data center campus with as many as 20 buildings on roughly one-third of a 550-acre former U.S. Steel waste site along Henderson Road in Elizabeth Township. The project could include on-site power generation and a closed-loop water system, and Hendricks estimates it could create up to 300 jobs and generate $125 million in annual tax revenue.
Residents, including Scott Taylor of Protect Elizabeth Township, opposed the proposal during an informational town hall, citing its industrial scale, potential impacts on home values, noise, air quality, water and the environment. Township Commissioner Adam Musisko said officials are still determining whether the project’s benefits and claims warrant moving forward. Initial plans remain subject to change, and additional meetings are expected; state regulations require disclosure of the eventual end user and local approval before certain permits can be issued.