About a dozen people voiced opposition to a planned data center in Nesquehoning during a hearing conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.

The hearing, held Thursday in the auditorium of the Panther Valley Junior-Senior High School, was conducted following a 90-minute information session held by the DEP and the developer to explain the project, including mitigating disturbed wetlands, the replacement of trees that are removed, assurances that water pollution won’t be an issue, and that noise abatement measures have been taken.

Those who gave testimony at the hearing were present for the presentation, but still left with concerns.

Carol Etheridge, a member of Save Carbon County, told the DEP officials present, “This development promises not economic prosperity, but economic disaster. Sited so close to massive buildings operating 24x7, the homes on Stock Street and nearby Lake Hauto will lose property value, become unsellable, and devolve into blighted properties, creating an economic burden for the municipality.”

Other speakers voiced concerns about degradation of streams and wetlands, loss of fish habitat, air pollution, noise and the potential lack of project and operation oversight by the DEP.

Representing the DEP at the hearing were Joseph Buczynski, Northeast regional director, and Mike Tarkonish, Waterways & Wetlands.

Maria Tavera Vilchis of DEP was moderator.

Vilchis said written testimony on the data center will be received until Sept. 5.

She also said the DEP has a new feature on its web page to track the permits on such projects. It can be found under the category “popular” and then “permit tracker.”

A “Carbon Node” category is also being added to the website.

None of the DEP officials spoke during the hearing. Vilchis said the purpose of the hearing was strictly to take testimony for or against the data center, which is being constructed by Carbon Node East Development and owned by Keel Infrastructure. However, at the preceding information session, a dozen DEP members and a half dozen representative of Carbon Node East answer questions.

Lucy Freck raised concerns that the data center is being built by the same firm which operates an adjoining power plant on the site that burns coal and tires. She is worried that pollutions “will be multiplied” when the power plant is constructed.

Cyril Lupito said, “I was concerned about the proximity of the data center to the co-gen plant. Now I find out they own it.”

“Many people begged DEP not to allow the burning of tires,” he said, regarding the co-gen plant. The approval was granted and now tires are being hauled in from out-of-state and burned there.

“I think there’s a lot of environmental injustice going on,” he said, adding that Pennsylvania has long been known for its garbage sites.

Both Freck and Lupito said they feel that such data centers might become obsolete within several years because of the development of quantum computers. “Decommissioning is an expensive process,” Freck said, expressing concern of the creation of a Superfund site.

Linda Christman, president of Save Carbon County, had numerous concerns including run-off and pollution.

“This development promises jobs and economic prosperity to the Nesquehoning area, but will the development destroy these three creeks and the wetland that are important factors in protection aquatic life and clean water for the Lehigh River and the region,” she asked.

Steve Chuckra testified, “Currently, developers appear to be using a selection process that favors building data centers in areas lacking the economic power to resist them.”

He told the DEP, “Save Carbon County believes if data centers are to be built, they should be constructed in ways that do not impact the environment or quality of life of Carbon County residents. Destroying exceptional value streams is contrary to the idea of societal benefit and progress.”

Two members of the Lehigh River Stocking Association spoke.

One of the association members, Vince Spadt, referred to the situation as “the David and Goliath story.”

He said Dennison Run, Broad Run and Nesquehoning Creek are all part of the Lehigh River watershed. They also have native brook trout, the state fish.

He said if clean water isn’t maintained in the creeks, that the population of the brown trout could be wiped-out.

Beth Hurley testified, “Grading, excavation, utility trenches, stormwater facilities and extensive impervious surfaces could alter the groundwater and surface water flows that sustain these wetlands. Discovering these impacts, after construction would not restore the wetlands or replace the protection that should have been demonstrated before permits were issued.”

She said, “I respectfully ask DEP not to issue these permits until the applicant demonstrates that the exceptional value streams and wetlands will be maintained and protected.”

Roy Christman compared artificial intelligence to human intelligence, stating “anyone with real intelligence” will see the data center isn’t a good idea. He feels there should be a moratorium on new data center development to determine if, in the long run, such technology does more harm than good.