Project Gold Data Center News: Clifton & Covington
Chronological archive of local reporting from Kat Bolus (WVIA/NPR), commentary from Chris Kelly (The Times-Tribune), county leadership initiatives, and national investigations.
Archbald Borough Council Unanimously Denies Hyperscale Data Center Zoning
WVIA reported that Archbald Borough Council unanimously rejected a zoning request for Cornell Realty Management's 14-building Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus on 578 acres.
Read Kat Bolus's WVIA Report →No Covington conditional-use hearing date announced
The township's application notice says the Quantm Group application is under completeness review and no hearing has been scheduled. September 1 minutes said a hearing date could not be set until a hearing officer was chosen. The October 6 agenda lists an extension item for the application, but does not state a hearing date or the outcome of that item.
Lackawanna County Commissioners Hire Firm to Study Data Center Impacts
Commissioners hired EmPower Analytics Group for $165,000 to conduct a 90-day countywide study of cumulative air-quality and public-health impacts from proposed data centers and power plants.
Read Kat Bolus's WVIA report →Judge Voids Clifton Twp. Data Center Settlement as Residents Push for Stricter Rules
Kat Bolus reports on the Lackawanna County Court decision invalidating Clifton Township's controversial settlement agreement with developer 1778 Rich Pike LLC. The ruling sent officials back to the drawing board to draft comprehensive zoning standards maintaining strict 35-foot height caps.
Read on WVIA News →County Commissioner Pushes for Moratorium & Cumulative Impact Analysis
Reporting on Commissioner Bill Gaughan's call for Governor Shapiro to institute a multi-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data center development while cumulative impacts on regional air quality, water supplies, and electrical grid infrastructure are rigorously assessed.
Read on WVIA News →The Data Center Invasion Has No Borders
Chris Kelly examines how multi-gigawatt developer projects exploit neighboring rural municipal lines. Even if one township resists, adjacent approvals threaten regional roadways, water security, and electric utility rates for all surrounding residents.
Read Column on The Times-Tribune →Today's Flawed Concept is Tomorrow's Disaster
Kelly cautions municipal supervisors against taking developer concessions at face value, breaking down how speculative corporate applicants use phased applications and narrative promises to gain foothold approvals in rural areas.
Read Column on The Times-Tribune →Special Series: Data Centers in NEPA — Water Supplies, Electric Grids, and Community Pushback
A comprehensive three-part investigative series examining the environmental and utility risks of the regional data center boom:
- Part 1: Potential Impacts on Water Supplies & Aquifers
- Part 2: Strain on PPL High-Voltage Transmission Lines & Ratepayer Costs
- Part 3: Grassroots Response Across Clifton, Covington, and Archbald
Lawyers, Residents and Experts in Clifton Twp. Debate Project Gold Demands
Bolus reports from the Gouldsboro Fire Hall during the Zoning Hearing Board challenge, documenting cross-examinations of the developer's witnesses regarding building height requirements, 24/7 acoustic limits, and PPL 230 kV power procurement.
Read Full Hearing Report on WVIA →Clifton Township: Discussing Proposed Data Center Uses
Archived recording of public discussions addressing the legal and environmental impact of substantive validity challenges on local zoning.
National Perspective: Noise, Water Strain, and Community Impact
- TIME Magazine: Inside the Health Impact of Continuous Low-Frequency Server Fan Noise in Rural Neighborhoods.
- Grist: High Computing Demand Guzzling Groundwater and Pressuring Regional Watersheds.
- POLITICO: How Utility Ratepayers Face Long-Term Risk for Speculative Grid Upgrades.