Data center under construction in Cumberland County
Construction is underway for a large data center in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, which is expected to consume significant amounts of water and power. Local residents are expressing concerns about noise, blasting, environmental impact, and potential decreases in property values, despite assurances from the Middlesex Township manager.
Construction has begun on a new hyperscale data center development in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, spanning 700 acres along Country Club Road in Middlesex Township. The project is anticipated to use 400,000 gallons of water daily and 1.3 gigawatts of power. Local residents, including Victoria Hefner and Jessica Boyle, have voiced significant concerns regarding constant noise from construction trucks and the impact of blasting, which started on April 1st and reportedly shook homes.
Middlesex Township Manager Bush stated that the data center development is expected to remain below noise level limits and that the road infrastructure will be improved after construction. However, residents claim they were blindsided by the project and were frightened by the blasting. Concerns extend to noise affecting wildlife and runoff from the construction site potentially contaminating the nearby creek, though Bush assured that there is no runoff and creek buffers will be enhanced.
The manager also suggested that the data center could enhance energy infrastructure, stabilize the grid, and reduce transmission costs by about 10%, potentially leading to decreased utility bills. Despite these reassurances, resident Susan Klein expressed worry about a decrease in property values due to the ongoing construction and the presence of the data center. The report also mentioned "Pa data center partners" and a "state representative" in connection with the project.