Pennsylvania residents spurn $10,000 data centre checks
AgenciesOn his terrace overlooking the forest in eastern Pennsylvania, Ed Negra lays out four letters. All are from a developer promising a $10,000 check to each household once its...
Ed Negra, a septuagenarian retiree from Pennsylvania, has received four letters from developer NorthPoint Development, each offering a $10,000 check if his data center is operational. The letters come despite the residents' fury over no prior notice and concerns about noise and pollution. Eagle Rock Resort, a sprawling gated community in Hazle Township, has been developed on more than 1,200 acres of land for the data center.
The residents, who previously enjoyed a peaceful life, are now blocking or delaying 75 data center projects this year alone, according to Data Center Watch. Republican President Donald Trump vehemently supports these projects for the US's AI dominance, but opposition to them crosses party lines. In Hazle Township, a court-ordered halt to construction and a moratorium were granted to the residents.
NorthPoint Development continues to issue letters explaining a $165 million fund for the township and its residents, which includes $45 million for the 4,500 households once the data center's first building goes up. For some residents like Jeff Fasnacht, a retired teacher, the $10,000 offered is a bribe and a drop in the bucket compared to the potential loss of their home's value due to the project.
The opposition extends to neighboring Sugarloaf Township, where residents are fighting a high-voltage power line meant for the data center.
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