Thursday, September 18, 2025

Schuylkill County Residents Push Back Against Proposed Data Center Development



FRACKVILLE — A group of residents from the Frackville area is organizing to oppose a proposed data center complex they say would bring heavy industrial impacts to a conservation-zoned hillside behind Broad Mountain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
The project, floated by New York City–based developer KRNL, is described by opponents as a multi-building campus featuring several eight-story structures, each roughly 850 feet long, on land that falls under the jurisdiction of New Castle Township. 

According to organizers, the property has not been sold or rezoned, and they intend to keep it that way.

What’s proposed

Residents say preliminary descriptions point to a high-capacity data center requiring significant electric power and water, with new utility infrastructure built into currently wooded terrain that now serves as a buffer between Frackville and Interstate 81.

Why neighbors are concerned

Organizers argue the site is inappropriate for an industrial-scale facility and list potential impacts that include:
  • “Astronomical” light and noise levels, along with air and soil pollution
  • Unsafe air quality and immense wildlife displacement
  • Heavy draws on water and power that could strain existing systems
  • Loss of the natural buffer separating Frackville from I-81
  • Risks to local water supplies used by Frackville, Butler Township, and Ashland
  • Higher utility and tax bills to support new infrastructure
  • Lower home values and a lasting visual “eyesore”
  • Reduced public access to nearby nature areas
Opponents also contend a data center of the proposed scale could consume as much potable water annually as nearly all Frackville residences combined, with runoff and construction potentially affecting water pressure and quality in nearby homes.

“Put it where the infrastructure already exists,” residents say

While objecting to the Broad Mountain location, organizers say they support siting data centers in established industrial parks such as High Ridge or Humboldt, where heavy-duty utilities and access roads are already in place and farther from dense neighborhoods.

What happens next

Because the land is currently zoned for conservation, KRNL (or any future buyer) would need zoning approvals before construction could begin. Opponents plan to press township officials to reject any rezoning or special approvals tied to the complex.

How to participate

The broader debate

Across Pennsylvania and the U.S., data centers have been promoted for potential tax revenue and construction/operations jobs, but they have also drawn scrutiny for round-the-clock noise, diesel backup generators, large water usage, and major power demand. Local officials typically weigh those trade-offs during zoning hearings and environmental reviews.

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