Key facts
- Plymouth Township has presented a developer with a 43-point plan for a proposed 2 million-square-foot data center.
- The township's demands cover noise, light, air pollution, waste heat reuse, water usage, and power self-sufficiency.
- Developer Brian O'Neill's company is challenging the township's zoning ordinance, calling the conditions too burdensome.
- The township council president accused the developer of bullying and intimidating officials.
- The developer claims to have agreed to the majority of the township's requests and asserts his property rights.
A contentious battle is unfolding in Plymouth Township, a Philadelphia suburb, over the construction of a large data center. Developer Brian O'Neill's company proposed a 2 million-square-foot facility on a former steel plant site. However, the township has outlined a comprehensive 43-point plan, spanning nine pages, detailing stringent requirements for noise mitigation, power generation, water usage, pollution control, and land use.
According to the township, O'Neill's company initially represented a willingness to implement proposed provisions. Yet, the developer has since balked at the specific conditions, with his lawyers challenging the township's zoning ordinance, arguing that the requirements are excessively burdensome and effectively prohibit the project. The township has responded forcefully, releasing a 12-page statement characterizing the challenge as a "blatant attempt by the Applicant to demand approval by tantrum" and accusing O'Neill of "bullying" and "intimidating" officials.
Township council president Lynne Viscio emphasized that officials should not have to compromise residents' health and well-being for technological and financial benefits. Council member Chris Manero acknowledged potential benefits but echoed opposition to the current application. The township's published requirements focus on minimizing noise and vibration, shielding electronic equipment from causing broadcast interference, adhering to Dark Sky Standards for exterior lighting, and implementing thermal impact plans with waste heat reuse. They also mandate closed-loop cooling systems using non-toxic coolants, prohibit drawing water from public systems or watercourses for operational use, and require on-site power generation, preferably from renewable sources like solar.
Further stipulations include limiting buildings to two occupiable stories, requiring pedestrian trails and buffering for residential areas, and mandating local worker recruitment with prevailing wage and benefit rates. A full decommissioning plan with financial security is also required. O'Neill, however, disputes the township's claims, stating he has agreed to most demands and that the township is making it challenging for him to exercise his property rights due to external political pressure. He aims to build multiple data centers in the region, and the outcome of this dispute may set a precedent for future data center developments.