Farmers concerned over proposed PPL transmission project in Lycoming, Union counties
Farmers in Union and Lycoming counties, Pennsylvania, are expressing strong concerns over a proposed PPL power line transmission project intended to power a new data center by the PNK Group in Allenwood. They fear the power lines will negatively impact their farmland through soil compaction and are worried about potential eminent domain. Farmers have attended meetings to voice their opposition and advocate for reforms.
Farmers in Union and Lycoming counties, Pennsylvania, are raising concerns about a proposed PPL power line transmission project designed to power a new data center. The PNK Group, a developer from New York City, plans a phased data center project off Highway 15 in Allenwood, starting with an existing industrial building and expanding over time.
The proposed power line project by PPL, intended to energize this data center, could traverse private farmland. Terry Snoody, whose dairy farm is one such property, explained that the power lines would cut diagonally across his 120 acres. He highlighted worries about soil compaction due to utility access, which he states can take years to recover, and interference with aerial crop applications, ultimately reducing crop yields.
The Pennsylvania Farmers Bureau has echoed concerns from farmers across the Commonwealth, noting that data center developments make it harder for farmers to buy or lease land. This trend can lead to a decrease in agricultural suppliers and markets. The bureau also expressed worries about the potential use of eminent domain for the project and whether farmers would receive fair compensation. Snoody suggests that PPL could choose an alternative route that avoids private land.
Many farmers have attended meetings to voice their opposition, and the Pennsylvania Farmers Bureau is actively working on eminent domain reform to ensure equitable treatment for landowners.