Residents voice concerns over data center campus proposal in Newport Township
Residents of Newport Township gathered at Nanticoke Area High School to demand more transparency about a proposed campus with 15 data centers and three gas-fueled power plants. Residents raised concerns about potential impacts on private wells, water availability and the redevelopment of former coal-mining land, while township officials said zoning permits have been issued and a community meeting is planned.
Residents packed Nanticoke Area High School to question plans for a 15-building data center campus near Glen Lyon in Newport Township. The proposal also includes three gas-fueled power plants, and residents expressed concerns about water contamination, wells running dry or collapsing, higher utility costs and the lack of information from local officials.
Newport Township said zoning permits were issued Aug. 10, but emphasized that the permits are only an initial step. The privately owned property is still being sold to the developer and is zoned for mixed-use and industrial development on land previously affected by coal mining. Township commissioners plan to announce a community meeting to discuss the project before the end of the month, while the developer has not been publicly identified.