Data center development under consideration, again, in Cumberland Co. community
A Middlesex Township meeting regarding a data center development saw an overflow crowd of concerned residents. The community voiced strong opposition to the project, which is already under construction, ahead of a final approval vote. The situation is further complicated by a new executive order from Governor Josh Shapiro that has halted new data center developments statewide, with the Middlesex project not meeting the new requirements.
Middlesex Township supervisors moved a meeting concerning data center development to a larger venue, Middlesex Elementary School, due to an anticipated overflow crowd. Despite the larger space, the event was still over capacity, with many residents unable to fit inside. The meeting was called to consider final approval for a data center project that is already under preliminary construction, following a previous township meeting where many residents felt blindsided and unable to attend.
Residents expressed their fury over the development, citing a lack of meaningful input opportunities and concerns that developers were allowed to set their own regulations. Speakers encouraged fellow community members to actively attend future township meetings. The data center developers reportedly maintain they are meeting all required rules and fulfilling demand for internet services.
Adding complexity to the local issue, Governor Josh Shapiro recently issued an executive order that effectively "slammed the brakes" on new data center development across Pennsylvania. The Shapiro administration confirmed that only five data centers currently under construction in the Commonwealth meet the new requirements, with the Middlesex Township project notably not among them. The implications of this statewide order on the scheduled final approval vote for the Middlesex project remained a key point of discussion.