Lackawanna County Commissioners Approve Data Center Health Impact Study

Lackawanna County commissioners unanimously awarded a contract to Massachusetts-based EmPower Analytics Group on Wednesday for a comprehensive data center health impact study. The decision follows months of debate and is expected to deliver a final report by Christmas.

The study will quantify the potential cumulative impacts of proposed data centers, power plants, and related infrastructure in Lackawanna County on air quality and public health. Commissioner Bill Gaughan, an outspoken critic of data centers, hailed the initiative as potentially the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and possibly the nation. He emphasized the study's role in providing empirical, scientifically backed evidence for future decisions and anticipated legal battles against data center proposals.

The county is currently considering over a dozen proposed data center projects, with several already facing litigation, alongside proposals for power plants to support the industry. EmPower's assessment will inventory proposed facilities, quantify pollution contributions, model dispersion, and calculate health impacts, monetizing health outcomes using EPA's valuation methods.

Commissioners Thom Welby and Chris Chermak expressed shared concerns with the public regarding potential health effects. Welby drew parallels to Agent Orange exposure and burn pit toxins, while Chermak voiced hope that the study would help establish 'guardrails' for the industry. The county will pay EmPower a flat fee of $165,000, with the final report due within 90 days of commencement. Gaughan credited the local data center opposition movement for leading the government to take this action.