Archbald council set to vote on Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus this week
Archbald Borough Council is scheduled to vote on Cornell Realty Management LLC's conditional-use application for the 14-building Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus. The project has faced extensive resident and official opposition over its noise, air pollution, water use, electricity demand and public-health impacts.
Archbald Borough Council is expected to decide Wednesday whether to approve Cornell Realty Management LLC's conditional-use application for the proposed Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus. The $2.1 billion project would include 14 data centers, nearly 600 backup diesel generators, substations and related commercial development across 574.2 acres above Archbald's Eynon and Sturges sections.
The proposal has generated nearly a year of hearings and significant opposition from residents, Stop Archbald Data Centers, Valley View School District representatives and local officials. Concerns include the campus's projected 1.6 gigawatts of electricity demand, average water use of 598,000 gallons per day with summer peaks above 3.3 million gallons, noise and generator emissions. Council's decision could be appealed by either the opponents or Cornell Realty Management, depending on the outcome.