Massachusetts residents ask judge to halt data center expansion in their backyards
Residents in Lowell, Massachusetts, have filed a lawsuit against Markley Group, seeking a judge's order to halt the expansion of its data center. They argue that the planned addition of diesel generators and cooling equipment will increase noise and pollution, and that state regulators issued a permit without proper community input. Lowell also recently enacted a one-year moratorium on new data centers, though it does not apply to the existing Markley site.
In Lowell, Massachusetts, residents have initiated legal action against the Markley Group, urging a judge to halt the expansion of its data center facility. The plaintiffs, whose homes are located mere feet from the 352,000-square-foot site, argue that the planned addition of diesel backup generators and cooling equipment would exacerbate existing issues of noise, pollution, and other environmental impacts. Attorney Stephanie Safdi, representing the residents in Middlesex Superior Court, contended that state regulators, specifically the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), issued a crucial air-quality permit without allowing the community a proper hearing to voice objections.
Residents further assert that MassDEP compromised the process by entering into a consent order with Markley while the permit appeal was still active. Markley Group CEO Jeff Markley countered that city officials approved a larger 31-generator plan a decade ago, noting that the current site only has 23 generators, with two not yet operational. MassDEP counsel Seth Jaffe defended the agency's actions, stating they "followed the rules." Markley's attorney, Michelle O'Brien, highlighted the facility's role in serving local institutions like UMass Lowell and a local hospital.
This local dispute mirrors a national debate regarding data center siting and the associated costs borne by communities, which often include industrial noise, diesel exhaust, and strain on infrastructure. Critics, including the Conservation Law Foundation's Alexandra St. Pierre, question whether environmental justice protections are being adequately enforced in such cases, citing the facility's existing disruptions even before the proposed expansion. While Lowell recently enacted a one-year moratorium on *new* data centers, it does not apply to the existing Markley site. The Healey administration has also paused a proposal for tax breaks on new data center developments statewide, indicating broader scrutiny of the industry in Massachusetts. The residents seek a court order to prevent further installation or operation of generators and cooling towers until their claims are fully heard.