Small Town Is a Test Case in America's Data-Center Wars

In Archbald, Pennsylvania, a borough of 7,000 residents near the Poconos, developers are proposing six data center campuses comprising 51 massive warehouses, some over a million square feet, that would cover 14% of the town's land. This extensive development has sparked widespread community opposition, a stark contrast to the initial lack of pushback in 2023 when the town's government approved updated zoning parameters to accommodate data centers. Residents express concerns about the overwhelming physical footprint in the former coal town, which is characterized by small-town charm, as well as the proximity of projects like 574 diesel generators to homes. The developers cite the location's proximity to the 500-kilovolt Susquehanna-Roseland power line and ample land and freshwater as reasons for choosing Archbald. However, the project has led to significant political fallout, including "NO DATA CENTERS" lawn signs, packed council and planning board meetings, a 10,000-member Facebook group opposing the data centers, and calls for officials who supported the zoning changes to be ousted. Most of the Archbald Borough Council members have resigned in the past month due to the controversy.