At an Oct. 13 meeting on a proposed data center, more than 200 residents crowded into Elizabeth Forward Middle School's auditorium in Elizabeth Township, Pa. Opposition emerged, petitions circulated, and Elizabeth Township officers escorted one attendee out after a disturbance.
Here's what to know
Commissioners were first approached in June about locating a possible data center at a power plant site, and the gathering at Elizabeth Forward Middle School was the township's first public move since then, according to the Mon Valley Independent.
About 330 questions were submitted beforehand, and township resident Eric Piper condensed them into roughly four dozen for the discussion.
According to the Mon Valley Independent, Bucks County developer Tim Hendricks, who said he has 35 years in real estate, is looking at a 550-acre Henderson Road site in the Buena Vista area next to the Youghiogheny River. Preliminary concepts presented at the meeting included 20 two-story buildings and stormwater basins.
Hendricks said the development might generate $125 million in tax revenue for the township and school district and create 200 to 300 permanent jobs with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $100,000, according to the Mon Valley Independent. He also said residents' energy service would stay the same and that the facility would not emit pollutants.
Key details were still unavailable. Asked by Commissioner Jim Benedek about expected electricity and water use, Hendricks said he did not want to offer figures until he had dependable information, according to the Mon Valley Independent. Residents also disputed the claim that nearby homes would be about 2,000 feet away, saying some properties across the river sit closer than that.
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More background
To illustrate the site's scale, Piper said the property is about 2.5 times the size of Kennywood Park, while Hendricks said, according to the Mon Valley Independent, "There's hundreds of acres proposed that would not be built on out of the total. This is an evolving process. Things change as we get more information. As I start to get answers, we can update the plan to make it more usable and hopefully better for the community."
Hendricks said he learned about the property from a colleague's brother, who had been exploring it for a possible solar project. He added that existing utility lines and earlier environmental cleanup made the site more appealing for redevelopment, according to the Mon Valley Independent.
The debate arrives amid broader concerns about data centers, artificial intelligence, and pressure on the electric grid. Hendricks told the audience that people often view data centers only through the lens of AI, but said they also support ordinary online activity such as texting and streaming movies.
Data centers can add computing capacity that helps optimize cleaner energy systems. Residents and local officials often focus on the tradeoffs, including heavy electricity demand, significant water use, security concerns, and the possibility that large new loads could strain local infrastructure and utility bills.
Residents pressed environmental and quality-of-life concerns. Resident Candy Woy raised questions about wildlife at the site and possible environmental effects, while Mary Jane Carnahan, who identified herself as a Terrytown Drive neighbor, said underground mines and prolonged construction could disrupt daily life and reduce property values, according to the Mon Valley Independent.
What's being done?
For now, Hendricks said, the proposal is still at a very early stage. As of Oct. 13, nothing formal had been filed, and he said the concept would need many permits and approvals before it could move ahead, according to the Mon Valley Independent. He added that if construction ever happens, the eventual company behind the site would step into his role.
According to the Mon Valley Independent, Hendricks said he is trying to place any data center as far from homes as possible and is still talking with gas providers while deciding whether the project fits the community. He told residents the plans would be revised further if the process continues.
Residents are organizing their own response. Attendees signed anti-project petitions on the way in, and Megan McDonough, state director at Food and Water Watch, questioned whether public opposition would matter if commissioners were later asked to change zoning, according to the Mon Valley Independent.
Protect Elizabeth Township has another town hall set for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Butler's Golf Course on Rock Run Road, featuring a speaker panel and opponents of data centers from other communities.
Piper said, "This community is my home. My family has been in this township for nearly 100 years. I care about this community just as I know everyone in this room does. And whether you support this proposed development, oppose it or simply want to learn more, I believe we all have something in common. We want what's best for Elizabeth Township, and the people that call it home."
Where can I learn more?
What's happening in Elizabeth Township echoes fights in other communities over proposed data centers. These stories look at similar battles over AI facilities, utility demand, zoning limits, and public opposition.
• In Maryville, Mo., neighbors "fight the monster" as a proposed AI data center advances.
• In Endicott, N.Y., officials eye a 12-month pause over water and energy fears.
• Across the country, communities warn the backlash may get brutal as AI strains jobs, water, and electricity.
• In Ohio, gas plants are being approved before neighbors get a say on AI expansion.
• In Northern Nevada, the fight over land, water, and power is intensifying with data center growth.
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