Packed house

South Strabane Township is advancing towards enacting an ordinance to regulate data centers, following a packed three-hour public hearing at the South Strabane Fire Department station. Township Solicitor Dennis Makel informed residents that, despite calls to outlaw data centers, such a move would be legally unsustainable due to exclusionary zoning laws. Officials will now refine the ordinance based on community input before the Board of Supervisors holds a final vote. The core of the debate centers on a 1,400-acre property off Zediker Station Road, owned by CNX Resources and marketed by real estate firm JLL as a potential site for a large-scale artificial intelligence data center. While no sale has been finalized or construction plans submitted, residents voiced considerable opposition. Janie Deemer, a long-time farmer in the area, expressed deep concern over potential negative impacts on property values, noise, and pollution, advocating for significantly stricter setbacks than the 500-foot property and 1,000-foot residential line setbacks currently proposed. Conversely, Tom Platt, representing the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5, highlighted the economic benefits, including construction and maintenance jobs. Makel, however, cautioned that long-term job creation after construction would be minimal. The draft ordinance includes provisions for a community benefit agreement, capacity letters from local electricity and water providers, and noise limits. CNX Resources has already criticized the proposed ordinance, suggesting its restrictions are so stringent as to effectively ban data centers. The South Strabane Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold its next meeting on April 28, though the agenda is not yet public.