Proposed data center in Genesee County draws community concerns

Stream Data Centers is proposing a nearly $20 billion, 2.2 million-square-foot data center at the Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in the town of Alabama, Genesee County, New York. The company, represented by senior site selection and development manager Bradley Wells and chief development officer Oisín Ó Murchú, touts the facility's role in powering digital services and the significant economic benefits, including generating nearly half a billion dollars in property and sales tax revenue for the rural community, alongside $1.4 billion in tax breaks. However, the project faces strong opposition and community concerns, primarily from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation. Grandell Logan, a spokesperson for the Nation, expressed that they "don't want them as a neighbor," citing fears about noise, light pollution, water and electricity consumption, and the potential impact on the pristine Big Woods area and the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, which are less than a mile from the proposed site. Mark Masse, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), which owns STAMP, acknowledges the community's concerns and states that the project is undergoing environmental review. Stream Data Centers has offered assurances, including committing to low noise limits of 45 decibels and minimal water usage comparable to a small office building, while also noting they are privately funding infrastructure. Despite these assurances, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation maintains that "there is no acceptable amount of risk." The project is currently awaiting final environmental and site plan approval from the GCEDC and the Town of Alabama Planning Board, with a public hearing scheduled for April 16 at the Alabama Fire Department.