Several Delaware County townships are advancing tougher standards for data center projects as communities around Pennsylvania weigh how to handle the industry's fast expansion.
The proposals show how local officials are trying to get ahead of concerns about water use, noise, traffic, and the overall footprint of these large facilities.
Here's what to know
According to the Delco Times, data center zoning matters from Tinicum, Marple, and Newtown townships were headed to the Delaware County Planning Commission, while Concord Township held a public meeting on its own proposed ordinance.
Marple officials told commissioners in August that they had revised the township's proposed data center ordinance and sent it back to both the county and township planning commissions. Reviews from those bodies were expected in time for the board's September 14 meeting.
In Marple, the draft ordinance lays out a formal definition of a data center and associated support systems, including ventilation equipment, generators or substations, water and cooling facilities, and other utility infrastructure.
It would permit data centers only in the light industrial district, require a minimum site size of 2 acres, and impose a 1,000-foot setback from other properties.
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More background
While data centers can bring jobs and strengthen digital infrastructure, they can also place heavy demands on land, electricity, and water, especially when cooling systems are involved.
Applications in Marple would need environmental, traffic, and economic impact studies, and sites would have to include fencing and landscaping. The draft also sets noise and vibration standards, with tighter limits during overnight hours.
The ordinance would require applicants to prove that enough water is available and that any proposed withdrawals or discharges would not damage groundwater. When public water service is part of a project, documentation from the water provider would also be required.
Open-loop evaporative cooling systems would not be allowed under the draft because they use large amounts of water and contribute to urban heat islands.
What's being done?
The Marple proposal calls for backup power generation impacts to be minimized and monitored. It also requires a site master plan, and applicants should submit guidelines for possible future upgrades or decommissioning.
How much these local proposals could be affected by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's tightened data center development regulations is unclear.
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