Developers want to build this 1,300-acre AI data center so badly they offered every house in town $10,000
Residents have called the payment a "bribe" designed to sow divide between the community.
A 1,300-acre AI data center project in Hazle, Pennsylvania, has sparked controversy after developers offered every household $10,000 to support the construction. NorthPoint Development, the company behind the project, plans to spend $45 million to persuade residents and $120 million over the next 15 years through funding for community projects and the police department. However, the $10,000 grant has been met with skepticism and resistance from local residents.
Many residents view the payment as a "bribe" and have raised concerns over pollution, water use, property values, and economic impacts. Ed Parks, a resident adjacent to the proposed site, expressed concern that the developers are trying to create division between those directly affected by the data center and those living further away.
The developers argue that the payment represents an innovative and bold approach to gaining local support. NorthPoint's chief marketing officer, Brent Miles, described it as "pretty radical and pretty leading-edge." Despite the controversy, a recent survey suggests that the majority of Americans now believe AI data centers are harmful to the environment, potentially causing issues for the Trump Administration as the US approaches the midterm elections.
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