Vineland AI data center: Residents raise concerns at meeting
Vineland residents expressed strong opposition at a special planning board meeting concerning the expansion of an AI data center on South Lincoln Avenue. Concerns were raised about the impact on property values, taxpayer rates, and especially water usage, with one estimate citing 8 million gallons per year for some operations. The existing facility is nearing completion, with a significant expansion proposed.
The Vineland Planning Board held a special meeting at Landis Theater, drawing a large crowd to discuss the proposed expansion of an AI data center on South Lincoln Avenue. The meeting, which was moved from city hall due to anticipated attendance, focused on a second amendment filed in March by Nebius and Data One for their data center plan, with a further amendment discussed in July.
Residents voiced significant opposition, with Helen Petritus presenting 2,900 signatures against the center, citing concerns that no one would want to live near the data center, making their homes unsellable. While an attorney for Data One stated the applicant had met all notice requirements, they acknowledged that transparency could always be improved. The proposed expansion includes a 587,980 square foot two-story AI data center building, four ground-mounted Bloom Power areas, three two-story platform Bloom Power areas, a chiller building, and a liquefied natural gas tank.
Key concerns included taxpayer rates, which the data center attorney claimed would not be an issue due to the project paying for its power situation with Bloom Energy fuel cells, and noise, which was addressed with planned sound mitigation measures. However, water usage was a major point of contention. Nonprofit Sustain South Jersey, represented by lawyers, cross-examined an expert witness for Data One, who stated the project would require an average of 8 million gallons of water annually for certain operations, but could not provide a total figure for all components including fuel cells and mega bays. Another data center public hearing is scheduled for Plymouth Township.