FORWARD TWP — Just north of a proposed data center site, Lynda Weakland and her husband, Patrick, maintain an about 100-acre family farm spanning Forward and Connoquenessing townships, where they’ve built a life raising cattle.

“None of us are going to be happy about this,” Lynda Weakland said ahead of an upcoming Thursday, Oct. 1, planning commission meeting about the proposed about one-million-square-foot data center planned on Prospect Road.

“This is not the place to put something like that,” she continued.

A meeting planned for Thursday, Sept. 24, on the potential data center was canceled when too many people showed up to fit in the municipal building. The rescheduled meeting will take place at the nearby maintenance garage, which can hold at least double the amount of people.

Ahead of the next meeting, resistance from township residents has organized into a “coalition.”

An informal group dubbed the “Misty Hollow Data Center Coalition” has formed to organize residents against the proposed data center, gathering members primarily through an Evans City-focused Facebook group.

Earlier this week, the coalition set up a fundraiser through GoFundMe to raise funds to cover “legal representation and public-awareness expenses.” As of Tuesday, Sept. 29, the fundraiser is seeking $2,600 and has raised $720.

Leaders of the coalition declined to speak on the record.

Related Article: Proposed Forward Township data center submitted plans in August

According to Forward Township’s website, plans for the development call for a data center with an about one-million-square-foot footprint, along with a 300 megawatt power generation facility, an about 23,800 square-foot office building, an about 2,400-square-foot security building and a wastewater treatment facility. The complex would be located at a 232.4-acre parcel.

The lead developer for the project is Allen Sherwood, who brings more than 40 years of experience in real estate development in addition to experience in other types of energy and infrastructure projects. The company proposing the data center is listed on planning documents as 614 Prospect Rd LLC.

While Weakland said her family doesn’t profit much from the operation, it’s their way of life that’s at risk.

“We do feed our friends and family good beef,” she said.

Weakland is especially concerned about the potential noise impact of continuous data center operations, specifically, low-frequency noises.

“There's a lot of information out there and some sources say it’s not proved … that the low-level frequencies and vibrations from the machinery at the plant negatively impact the surrounding environment,” Weakland said. “We have a 200-year-old log cabin.

“I can't imagine that the foundation in my home is going to take very kindly to those constant low-level vibrations. Not to mention that this area is crisscrossed with gas pipelines from the fracking that's gone on around here.”

Echoing Weakland’s concern about the noise impact is Rodney Gasch. He and his wife, Laurie, own an 80-acre property located just north of where the data center would be built.

“It would have a devastating effect on the quality of life for us, particularly because of noise,” Gasch said. “You're going to have wastewater treatment and electric generation all on this site. In the hills, the noise echoes and moves around and this sound would be going 24/7.”

Gasch also expressed concern about the possible effect the data center would have on nearby wildlife.

“Lighting is another concern because that would affect wildlife,” Gasch said. “There’s a crane rookery and people who canoe or paddle the Connoquenessing would know about that, and right near where the electric generating plant would be located is a bald eagle nest.

“So it would have great impacts in the environment. There's a strong concern that we would have: noise and light pollution.”

In an email Tuesday evening, Sherwood said evaluation of of noise levels would be considered as the project evolves.

“Noise is top of mind and a significant part of our planning and design process,” he said. “We’re looking carefully at equipment location, sound-reducing enclosures, sound barriers, setbacks, landscaping, screening, and other measures that can minimize noise and reduce the impact on our neighbors.

“As the engineering progresses, we will continue evaluating noise levels and incorporate appropriate mitigation measures into the final design. We want to be responsible and respectful of the people who already live in the surrounding community.”

He also said the data center would not draw any water from the Connoquenessing Creek “for any part of the project.” The proposed data center would be positioned with the creek on three sides of the facility.

“The creek is not part of our planned water supply, cooling system, or operations,” Sherwood said. “Protecting the creek and the surrounding environment is an important part of our planning and engineering process. As the project moves forward, the final design will be subject to all required environmental reviews and permitting.”

Sherwood sees environmental protection and minimizing water consumption as “important considerations in the design of this project from the beginning.”

The project’s current design, he said, calls for a closed-loop cooling system that uses a glycol-based cooling fluid that continuously circulates and is reused within the system.

“Unlike conventional evaporative cooling systems that can consume significant amounts of water, our planned system will not use water for cooling the data center,” he said.

He noted the final system will be subject to “detailed engineering, environmental review and all applicable permitting requirements.”

Gasch said he has spoken to Sherwood before — once, over the phone, shortly after Sherwood purchased the property.

“I talked to Mr. Sherwood a couple of years ago about the possibility of leasing or donating some land for a canoe landing on Connoquenessing Creek,” Gasch said. “He wasn't interested. That didn't seem to spark any interest in him. I haven’t talked to him since.”

Asked about the interactions with neighboring property owners, Sherwood declined to speak in detail.

“We have approached neighboring property owners directly and respectfully to discuss whether there may be an opportunity that works for both sides,” he said. “Those conversations are voluntary and handled individually because every property and every family's circumstances are different.

“Out of respect for the property owners and the confidentiality of those discussions, we are not going to disclose specific offers, purchase prices, or other financial terms. We will continue to treat our neighbors fairly and respectfully throughout the process.”

Weakland said the livelihood of her family and the cattle could be jeopardized if the proposed data center comes to fruition.

“My gut response is, I would want to leave,” she said. “I would want to leave because I don't want to live with that.”

Since word of the data center proposal first spread, between 50 and 75 people have reached out state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th, who represents Forward Township.

“Obviously, it's difficult to get back to every person, but I've tried to call people back as much as possible in order to speak with them on this issue,” he said.

Although Bernstine is sympathetic to residents’ concerns, he has told them there is little he and the House can do for the moment.

Related Article: Massive data center proposed in Forward Township

“In my role as a Pennsylvania state legislator, I do not have the authority to determine where something like this goes,” Bernstine said. “This is up entirely to the municipal government.

“I can be a resource. I can be helpful. I can guide people in the right direction, but I don't have authority over determining where these things go.”

The next step is for Forward Township’s planning commission to review the proposal. The upcoming planning commission meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Forward Township maintenance garage, 207 Ash Stop Road.