Records reveal sprawling data center and power plant plans for Elizabeth Township
Hendricks Group Developers is considering a 3.7 million-square-foot data center campus and on-site natural gas power plant at a former landfill in Elizabeth Township. The proposal is still in the discussion phase, but local opposition is emerging and a township town hall is scheduled for Oct. 13.
Eastern Pennsylvania developer Tim Hendricks and Hendricks Group Developers are pursuing a potential 1-gigawatt data center campus and natural gas power plant on a 549-acre former landfill site in Elizabeth Township. Preliminary scenarios call for 11 to 28 data center buildings, with even the 12-building option totaling about 3.7 million square feet. Hendricks has entered an agreement to purchase the property but has not formally submitted plans or building permits.
Elizabeth Township officials are reviewing the concept and scheduled a town hall for Oct. 13. Township Commission President Josh Walls said the project remains under discussion and that officials need resident input, while state Rep. Andrew Kuzma said he is neutral but leaning against it. Scott Taylor of Protect Elizabeth Township opposes the proposal, citing its industrial scale and potential impacts from power generation, noise, water use and pollution. Environmental Health Project Executive Director Alison Steele also warned that the project could expand natural gas use and create health concerns associated with emissions and low-frequency noise.