Plans for six data center campuses in Archbald, Pennsylvania, are set to cover 14 percent of the borough, evict a trailer park, and border homes and schools, sparking fierce local opposition. Developers promise tax revenue, but residents worry about power demands, water use, noise, and environmental risks amid unstable mine shafts. Borough officials face criticism for limited transparency on the zoning changes passed in November 2025.
Archbald, a borough of about 7,500 in Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, is at the center of a data center boom, with five developers planning six campuses comprising 51 buildings. These facilities will occupy 14 percent of the town, including land from Valley View Estates trailer park, where residents face eviction on April 15. Projects like Scott, Gravity, North, Boson, and Wildcat Ridge will border residential areas and sit near Valley View middle and high schools, prompting shouts of “What about the children?” at a January public meeting at the high school auditorium. Nick Farris of Provident Real Estate Advisors, representing Project Scott, called it “the best data center site in this area of the country, by far,” highlighting expected tax revenues of $20 million annually for Archbald, $50 million for Lackawanna County, and $100 million for Valley View School District. One campus alone is projected to use more power than the region's largest power plant, drawing from the Susquehanna-Roseland powerline, with 450 diesel backup generators planned. Water use raises alarms: Project Gravity at 360,000 gallons daily from Lake Scranton, Wildcat Ridge up to 3.3 million gallons daily. Borough manager Dan Markey noted Pennsylvania law requires zoning for undesirable industries, stating, “I don’t think anyone in their right mind wants to see the world covered in data centers.” A Facebook group, Stop Archbald Data Centers, has over 5,000 members, nearly two-thirds the borough's population. Residents cite risks from underground mine shafts, potential landslides, pollution, and noise. Updated zoning in November 2025 allows sites near homes after developers bought land beforehand. Council member Erin Owen criticized secrecy in decision-making. State legislators propose regulations, including a potential moratorium.
