Elected officials eye Springdale data center proposal as borough council prepares to vote

The decision to approve or reject a developer’s proposal to build a massive data center in Springdale is ultimately up to its borough council.

With a decision set to be handed down in just over a week, state and local politicians say they, too, have been keeping an eye on the project, which has drawn local opposition and some scrutiny from borough officials.

State Rep. Mandy Steele, who has attended many of the data center meetings, said she’s encouraging borough council members to apply more conditions to the project if they ultimately vote to approve it.

Conditions are mutually agreed-upon terms for approval between developers and local officials. These conditions can place further restrictions on certain aspects of the center, such as capping its noise levels lower than borough maximums or requiring developers to invest in local emergency services.

Steele said she’d like to see conditions addressing long-term monitoring of things such as noise levels and air quality near the site.

That’s in addition to conditions requiring the developer to invest in the local economy by creating a small-business fund and emphasizing training and hiring locals.

Environmental concerns also need to be top of mind, she said. Council members should push for developers to minimize reliance on diesel backup generators at the site, instead using renewable energy or battery storage.

Battery storage, however, has met some pushback from Springdale Council President Mike Ziencik and Councilman Dan Copeland, chief of Springdale VFD, because of fire safety concerns.

Thus far, Steele said, land developer Allegheny DC Property Co. has stated its willingness to cooperate with the community, but it’s the company’s actions that will ultimately matter.

The representative emphasized she has no vote in the process and expressed confidence in council.

“I have observed council to be asking the right questions and pushing back in the right ways,” she said.

State Sen. Lindsey Williams said she hopes to be a “resource” to residents at the state level as more data centers encroach on Western Pennsylvania.

While homeowners and utility providers alike have stressed over the energy requirements of large-scale data centers, Williams said she plans to push for measures in Harrisburg to make centers “pay their fair share.”

The senator said locals have every right to be concerned about the center’s potential effects on electricity costs.

“I hope, at the end of the day, the constituents get answers for their legitimate concerns,” she said.

Williams said she has sent her staff members to each of the data center meetings in Springdale.

Both Steele and Williams said they would be willing to help negotiate a community benefits agreement with the borough and developers if the project were approved.

Nick Futules, who represents Springdale and surrounding communities on Allegheny County Council, said residents have justified concerns about the proposal, but some of the opposition has simply stemmed from fear.

“We’re looking for new jobs and new developments,” he said. “We want these things in our community.”

Futules described the project as an “upgrade” from the coal-fired power plant that formerly occupied the site and said the center would be a boon to the local tax base.

Though he doesn’t get a vote in the matter, Futules said he thinks council should approve the proposal.

“It may not be popular, but it’s probably what’s best for the community,” he said.

Council will cast its vote on the project Dec. 16.

Before then, local environmental group Protect PT will host its second community meeting to discuss the project at 6 p.m. Tuesday at From Italy Pizza in Springdale.