South Strabane Township passes 2 ordinances related to data centers

A community in Washington County said it is taking steps to protect its residents from data centers. 

South Strabane Township's board of supervisors passed two ordinances related to data center development during a meeting on Tuesday. It came after a public hearing where residents brought up concerns about the impact of data centers on their lives, including noise and vibration. 

The data center ordinance includes a 1,500-foot distance from any occupied residential structure, a 30-acre minimum lot size, and height restrictions, among other regulations. In addition to the data center ordinance, the board approved a noise and dust ordinance.

"We wanted to have some kind of comprehensive ordinance in place, and then any kind of person who wants to buy the property will have guidelines," said George Rowand, board chairman. "And we felt it was important to put those guidelines in place."

One piece of land in the area is already being marketed for a potential data center: near the crossroads of Interstates 79 and 70. 

CNX Resources owns the land, and the property is zoned for industrial use and has access to two rail lines. It has 400 buildable acres that would have the capacity to produce up to 700 megawatts of electricity. 

Rowand said he is not aware of any potential buyer for the site as of now. If the project becomes a reality, the AI data center would become one of the largest available development sites in the state.