What They're Planning to Build
A massive industrial data center complex has been proposed for Bear Creek Township. Here is what we know — and why every resident should be alarmed.
The Data Center Project
A large technology company has filed plans to construct an industrial-scale data center campus in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The facility would span hundreds of acres of currently rural and forested land, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Proposed Size
Hundreds of acres of rural land
Operation
24/7/365 industrial operation
Location
Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County, PA
Status
Under review — community opposition growing
Our Water, Our Land, Our Air
Data centers are among the most water-intensive industrial facilities in existence. A facility of this scale could consume millions of gallons of water daily, drawing from local aquifers and threatening Bear Creek itself. The construction would require clearing significant acreage of mature forest — habitat that cannot simply be replanted. Industrial noise, electromagnetic interference, and light pollution would permanently alter the character of our rural community.
- Millions of gallons of water consumed daily from local sources
- Significant forest clearing and habitat destruction
- Constant industrial noise — cooling systems run 24/7
- Light pollution visible for miles in every direction
- Risk of chemical spills from backup generator fuel storage
Roads, Homes, and Our Future
The construction phase alone would bring hundreds of heavy trucks per day through township roads that were never designed for industrial traffic. Once operational, the facility would require ongoing deliveries, maintenance vehicles, and utility infrastructure upgrades — all at taxpayer expense. Homeowners near the proposed site have already seen interest in their properties decline. Industrial blight does not stay contained to the facility fence line.
- Heavy construction traffic destroying rural roads
- Utility infrastructure costs passed to township residents
- Documented property value decline near similar facilities
- Increased demand on local emergency services
- Industrial visual blight affecting surrounding neighborhoods
We Were Never Asked
The community is being informed — but our township is dangerously behind. Our zoning ordinance is out of date, and the data center proponents know it. They are moving fast precisely because our regulatory framework has gaps. The township is now scrambling to get a legally sound, protective ordinance in place before it is too late. This is not a hypothetical risk. It is happening right now, and we need help — from residents, from legal experts, and from anyone who cares about what this community looks like in ten years.
- Township zoning ordinance is outdated and legally vulnerable
- Data center proponents are exploiting regulatory gaps
- The township is racing to draft a protective ordinance in time
- Residents were not meaningfully consulted before the process began
- Community organizing and legal pressure are the most effective tools we have right now
This Is Not Inevitable
Communities across Pennsylvania and the country have successfully pushed back against poorly-sited industrial development. With organized, informed, and persistent community action — legal challenges, public comment, petition pressure, and media attention — we can change the outcome here. But we have to act now.