New Jersey residents packed a theater over a data center's hum, water use, and vibrations

Officials shifted a public meeting on a proposed 2.6 million-square-foot data center in Vineland, New Jersey, from City Hall to the Landis Theater after interest surged.

Inside the larger venue, residents raised worries about noise, vibrations, air quality, and how much water the facility might consume.

What's happening?

As NBC Philadelphia reported, many residents came to the meeting to fight the proposal and seek answers from city leaders and advocacy groups.

The project, called Data One, would occupy an area about equal to 45 football fields and would be roughly a mile from some homes.

For Peggy Schumacher, a Vineland resident who has lived in her home for 14 years, the project is already affecting her quality of life, she said.

"There are," Schumacher said when asked whether she had concerns. "It's brought back this nerve disease that's been in remission in my legs. We are a mile away, and the vibration in our house is horrible now."

As residents testified, police maintained a heavy security presence throughout the meeting. 

During one exchange, a representative said the facility would need "8 million gallons on average" from the city while also saying the company had not yet calculated every operational need.

Why does it matter?

Large data centers are becoming a source of tension in communities across the country because they can bring jobs and tax revenue while also placing demands on local infrastructure. 

In Vineland, residents' concerns centered on issues close to home: noise, possible air impacts, and whether water resources could be stretched.

The debate also reflects the growing link between artificial intelligence and the energy grid. AI tools can help utilities forecast demand, improve efficiency, and better integrate cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar. However, the data centers that support AI can also consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, raising concerns about grid strain, higher utility costs, pollution from added power generation, security vulnerabilities, misuse, and other unintended social consequences.

What's being done?

Data One said it supports city leaders and that the site is operating within local noise ordinance limits.

If the project is approved, the company said the facility could still be built. The public meeting process remains the main avenue for accountability, and residents are using those hearings to demand clearer answers about resource use, environmental effects, and what protections would be in place if the project moves forward.

Schumacher's remarks reflected the anger in the room: "I'm very, very upset by this."

She said the vibration near her home is "making our house unlivable."

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