Why I oppose the proposed data center project at 900 Conshohocken Road?
I am OPPOSED to the proposed hyperscale data center at 900 Conshohocken Road in Plymouth Township.
Let me be clear: I support responsible economic development. I welcome investment that creates jobs, strengthens our local economy, and respects the communities it joins. But I cannot support a project of this magnitude when the developer has failed to answer basic questions about its environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, and long-term operation.
As a matter of practice, my office has traditionally followed the lead of our local municipalities on land use and development matters. This project is no different. The elected officials closest to these projects know their communities best. The Plymouth Township Council has publicly opposed this proposal, and I respect their position. You can read their statement here: Statement by Plymouth Township Council.
Likewise, State Senator Maria Collett has also announced her opposition to the project. You can read her statement here: Statement by State Senator Maria Collett.
The more I have learned about this proposal, the more concerned I have become.
What do we know about this proposal so far? Very little!
According to the developer's ZHB Application, the project would occupy approximately 66 acres and reuse 10 existing buildings totaling nearly one million square feet. The developer has also stated that several of those buildings would have additional floors constructed, effectively doubling the amount of occupied space.
To support the operation of this hyperscale data center, the site would include:
These are not minor details. They are central to understanding how this facility will affect the surrounding community.
Read the Developer’s Application to the Township here.
Yet despite the size and complexity of this project, the developer has failed to provide residents with the information they deserve.
For example: Where will the cooling water come from?
The developer has said the water will not come from the adjacent Schuylkill River and not come from the existing on-site wells.
If that's true, then where will it come from?
How much water will the facility consume each day? How will that demand affect our regional water supply? What happens during drought conditions?
These are fundamental questions, yet our community still does not have answers.
The same is true when it comes to air quality and energy consumption.
The developer has acknowledged that the project will include multiple gas turbines and standby generators. Residents deserve to know what emissions these systems will produce, how often they will operate, and what impact they could have on the surrounding neighborhoods.
If this project is truly as safe as the developer claims, then there should be no hesitation to publicly disclose its expected environmental impacts.
Transparency should not be optional.
There are also significant unanswered questions about who will ultimately occupy this facility. We still do not know who the end user will be, what operations will occur inside these buildings, or what the long-term energy demands of the facility will be.
A project this large should never ask a community to make a decision first and receive the facts later.
I have attempted to ask Brian O'Neill these questions - you can read my letter here. So far, no response.
Who is the developer?
My concerns extend beyond the project itself.
News reports have raised questions about the developer's business practices, including allegations involving unpaid contractors and unpaid taxes. Whether those matters are ultimately resolved or not, they raise legitimate concerns about credibility and accountability.
A billion-dollar infrastructure project requires a developer the public can trust.
Finally, taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize the true costs of hyperscale data centers.
The companies that profit from these facilities—not local residents—should bear the costs associated with the massive infrastructure improvements they require. They should pay for the necessary upgrades to our electric grid, cover the costs of environmental monitoring, and ensure that local governments are not left responsible for protecting public health and safety at taxpayer expense.
At this point, I have more questions than answers.
Until the developer provides complete, transparent, and verifiable information about the project's environmental impacts, water usage, air emissions, energy demands, infrastructure costs, and long-term operations, I cannot support this proposal.
Our community deserves facts—not promises.
It deserves transparency—not secrecy.
And it deserves development that puts the health and well-being of our residents first.
Learn More
If you'd like to review additional reporting on this proposal and the developer, I encourage you to read the following:
What authority do I have as your state representative?
One of the questions I hear most often is:
"If you oppose this project, why can't you stop it?"
The answer is simple: under Pennsylvania law, I do not have the legal authority to approve or deny this proposal.
That decision belongs to the Plymouth Township Zoning Hearing Board, which is responsible for determining whether this application complies with local zoning laws. Members of the Zoning Board are our neighbors, and they are appointed by the Plymouth Township Council.
As your State Representative, I cannot direct the Zoning Hearing Board to vote, nor can I block this application myself.
While I don't have the authority to decide this case, I do have a responsibility to advocate for our community—and that's exactly what I am doing.
How you can participate?
This is probably the most important decision facing our community, and your voice matters.
You should attend all the Zoning Hearing Board Meetings concerning this project. Here is the link to their website. The next hearing before the Plymouth Township Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled for:
Monday, July 28
7:00–8:00 PM
Colonial Middle School
716 Belvoir Road
Plymouth Meeting, PA
An additional hearing is planned for July 30, although that meeting has not yet been confirmed.
Prior to attending you should do the following:
You can also help at the state level by contacting your state Senators and telling them to vote Yes on legislation you support. You’ll find links to their contact information and relevant bills in the cart below.
What have I done?
Locally:
In Harrisburg:
While I cannot decide on this zoning case, I can change Pennsylvania law, so communities have more tools to deal with projects like this. This is a multi-step process that I explain more in this video. Scott Explains How a Bill Becomes Law
Legislation I support
Give Communities More Control
Protect Taxpayers
Protect Water and Air
Increase Transparency
Give Municipalities Better Tools
Here is the status of each of these bills. You can help by contacting the listed state Senator and demand they vote Yes to make these bills become law.
What I’ve recommended to local governments
I have met with local municipal officials from our area including but not limited to members of our local Councils, Sewer Authorities, and School Boards about these issues.
I have shared resources with each of my municipalities, including draft language to assist them in drafting a zoning ordinance for data centers.
I have shared my recommendations that these ordinances should consider important factors like:
In addition to the above factors, municipalities can adopt zoning code language that will result in the following information from applicants:
Here are some of the resources that I have shared with municipal officials: