At town hall on proposed data center in South Jersey, residents voice concerns: "We don't know this guy"

More than 100 residents packed the Landis Theater in Vineland, New Jersey, Wednesday night for a town hall hosted by DataOne, as the company behind a proposed data center sought to reassure the community about the project's potential impact on water, electricity and the environment.

The meeting comes as data centers tied to artificial intelligence face growing scrutiny nationwide, particularly over their resource demands. Organizers stressed the event was not a formal public meeting but allowed residents to ask questions at an open microphone, warning the session would continue only if the crowd remained orderly.

DataOne CEO Charles-Antoine Beyney, who traveled from France, told the audience the facility would operate differently from traditional data centers. He said the project would use a closed-loop system that generates water through condensation rather than consuming local supplies and would pay its own power costs, avoiding any increase in residents' electricity bills.

"You are not going to see your electricity bill skyrocketing," Beyney told the crowd. "That is very important to us."

Beyney added that the facility would comply with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection noise standards. He also said the company's emissions would be minimal compared with other industrial uses, acknowledging the community's concerns about other existing data centers.

"Most of the data centers that are being built today suck, big time," Beyney said. "They consume water, they pollute, they are extremely not efficient. This is clearly not what we are building here."

As the presentation concluded, dozens of residents lined up to question Beyney about the claims laid out in the company's slides, with several pressing for commitments on water use and long-term accountability.

Yuleza Negron said she was concerned about the project's impact on a community she described as already facing economic challenges.

"It is concerning — this community is a low-income community. We're not the wealthiest," she said.

Beyney also outlined proposed community initiatives, including plans to donate weekly fresh produce to low-income residents. Anthony Williams said those ideas eased some of his concerns.

"I think it's excellent what he's doing — bringing food, jobs," Williams said. "I think people need to give him a chance."

When pressed repeatedly on whether DataOne would follow through on its promises, Beyney told residents, "You've got my word on that."

Negron said trust would take more than assurances.

"We don't know this guy from a can of paint," she said.

The project still faces additional approvals. DataOne representatives said they plan to continue community outreach as the proposal moves forward.