Residents appeal Throop’s data center zoning, argue it benefits private interests
Residents in Throop, Pennsylvania, have appealed a newly adopted data center zoning ordinance, arguing it benefits private interests over the public and violates environmental rights. The group, known as "Protectors of Water, Wildlife, Environment and Resources" (POWER), filed appeals with both the Throop Zoning Hearing Board and the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. They contend the ordinance, which allows data centers on 351 acres of conservation land, fails to protect the community's resources.
Residents of Throop, Pennsylvania, organized as "Protectors of Water, Wildlife, Environment and Resources" (POWER), have formally challenged a recently enacted data center zoning ordinance. The group filed two appeals on July 23 with the Throop Zoning Hearing Board and the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. They contend that the legislation, which conditionally permits data centers on 351 acres of environmental conservation land, unfairly benefits private interests and jeopardizes public welfare.
Attorney Donna Davis, representing the appellants, stated in the filings that the borough council "unanimously abandoned their role as representatives of the citizens" in favor of private entities. The appeals challenge both the substantive and procedural validity of the ordinance, asserting it violates the Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment by failing to conduct a detailed analysis of potential impacts on open space, water resources, air quality, and energy supplies.
Key concerns highlighted include the strain on a small community's resources, potential depletion of water, increased energy costs, and the lack of benefit to Throop residents from converting environmental land to industrial use. The land in question is owned by Theta Land Corp., whose president, Louis DeNaples (co-owner of Keystone Sanitary Landfill), signed an easement agreement last year. Throop officials have defended the location, suggesting the landfill and Casey Highway would provide natural buffers. Andy Hegedus, Throop Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer, confirmed that the appeals have been forwarded to the borough’s legal team for review.