Residents voice frustration over Amazon data center

Residents of Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, voiced significant frustration and concern during a community meeting in Fairless Hills regarding the ongoing construction of an Amazon data center at the Keystone Trade Center campus. Homeowners near the former U.S. Steel property reported feeling blindsided by the project, which has been under construction for nearly a year, and expressed escalating worries as work continues.

Key concerns articulated by residents included the potential negative impact on local air and water quality, noise pollution from 280 emergency generators, and fears of increased electricity bills due to the data center's energy demands. One resident, Sarah Kirk of Falls Township, expressed her frustration, while another shouted "Shame on you people," met with applause. Many attendees felt that Amazon's representatives and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) struggled to adequately answer their "educated and informed" questions.

Amazon representatives presented the project's benefits, including a $20 billion statewide investment and over 1,200 new jobs, and asserted that the facility would meet or exceed all public health requirements. They stated that Amazon would cover its own infrastructure costs to prevent increases in utility bills for residents. The DEP confirmed its commitment to monitoring air and water quality and is currently reviewing a plan for natural gas and diesel-fired emergency generators.

Despite Amazon's assurances, residents urged the company to halt construction and consider their input, emphasizing that "nothing is ever a done deal" and "people power can overcome money power." Amazon acknowledged being approximately a year into construction, with the first facility expected to come online in the future.