‘I don’t want you’ say residents fuming over data center farm takeovers

Residents of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt region, specifically Lower Mount Bethel Township in Northampton County, are organizing widespread opposition against a proposed 1.2 GW data center project. Yard signs proclaiming "NO DATA CENTERS ON OUR FARMS" have emerged as a symbol of the community's mobilization, led by the group No Data Center in the LMBT. Developers Peron Development, represented by John Callahan, and J.G. Petrucci, with Peter Polt, recently hosted a three-hour town hall to present their plans for the Lower Mount Bethel Tech Center and address community concerns. They were joined by experts from Talen Energy and PPL Electric Utilities who discussed power supply, and data center siting specialist Jake Terkanian who outlined the project's layout. The proposed center would span 450 acres at Gravel Hill Road and Martins Creek Belvidere Highway, requiring a rezoning from agricultural to industrial land. Developers highlighted potential economic benefits such as millions in tax revenue, hundreds of jobs, and community investment, touting the site's proximity to Talen Energy's Martins Creek Power Plant as an advantage. However, residents vocally rejected these claims, expressing deep concerns about water usage, noise and light pollution, wildlife impacts, and broader environmental degradation. Several residents, including Rodney Smith and Linda Horne, articulated their desire to preserve the area's rural character, with some stating they would rather pay higher taxes than see the data center built on their farmland. Beverly Van Hendron also shared an account of a visit from Joseph Paranee of Paranee Properties, who allegedly suggested she consider selling her property at double its worth. While the project remains in an exploratory phase, community pressure is mounting. At a prior Lower Mount Bethel Township Board of Supervisors Meeting, two of the five supervisors reportedly committed to voting against the proposal. John Callahan assured residents that developers would not ask township supervisors to sign non-disclosure agreements, and stated that the company remains confident the data center campus can be developed respectfully while providing significant long-term benefits.