Members of the press were invited to meet with Linda Christman from Save Carbon County, resident Scott Pickford and opposition leader Dot Olonovich prior to the Penn Forest Township data center ordinance hearing Tuesday night.

The proposed site for the data center is Route 903 and Maury Road.

Christman gave advice for residents.

“We want residents to know it’s not over yet. We need them to come to meetings even if they are boring. When an ordinance is passed it’s not over,” Christman said.

Pickford shared, “My family has lived on the adjacent property for 50 years. I hunted and fished here since I was a kid. That all may go away.”

He added, “ This (data center) affects everyone on the mountain. Wildlife may disappear and the creek may dry up.”

When Pickford purchased the property the surrounding property was zoned residential.

“To me it’s all about greed. We will fight this to the end.”

Endangered species on the proposed site are being identified, including the flying squirrel, bog turtle and several types of vegetation.

“It is our duty to protect the streams that are entrusted to us,” noted Christman as several tributaries and streams run through the property.

Mele Brothers Realty proposed data center on the site could potentially use 1- to 2-million gallons of water per day at the site.

The property contains the origins of two trout streams.

Mele Brothers has filed a substantive validity challenge to the township’s zoning stating that at the time the filing did not explicitly provide for data centers as a permitted use.

SVC is a law that every municipality must have every legal use in their zoning ordinances.

A decision will be made on the ordinance at the Penn Forest supervisors meeting to be held at 6 p.m. March 2 at Penn’s Peak.