Residents left furious as their picturesque small town surrounded by forests and nature is set to be 'ruined' by sprawling data centers... but they're refusing to back down

Published: 21:52, 26 April 2026 | Updated: 21:58, 26 April 2026 Tensions are growing in a Pennsylvania town as developers prepare to build six large data centers.  Archbald, near the Pocono Mountains, is undergoing major changes as about 14 percent of its land could be developed into 51 data warehouses.  Each warehouse is roughly the size of a Walmart Supercenter, according to the Washington Post.  The rural town sits near the 500-kilovolt Susquehanna-Roseland transmission line, a major power line that supplies electricity across the region. This reliable energy source makes it attractive for data centers, which need a lot of power.  Archbald also has abundant freshwater and land suitable for the sites, but many residents are angered by the construction plans.  'Those animals now have no place to go,' resident Tim Bachak told WaPo. He said that last month, construction workers began clearing forests for the data center. 'It's disgusting. … Why are they putting these things near us, near our schools and near our parks?' A group of Archbald locals hold up bright yellow 'NO DATA CENTERS' signs to protest the construction Archbald, Pennsylvania is located near the Pocono Mountains, about 14 percent of its land could be developed into 51 data warehouses Locals have started to rally together over social media and community meetings to push back against the plans.  The 'Stop Archbald Data Centers' Facebook group has nearly 10,000 members, more than the town's population of about 7,000, where people share meeting updates and opposition to the data centers.  Hundreds of outraged locals have placed 'NO DATA CENTERS' signs in their yards and turned once-quiet board meetings into uproar.  'I want to know the effects of electricity usage, water usage, noise pollution, light pollution,' resident Michael Pilch, 54, told WaPo. Despite their efforts, the outlet reported that the data center developers are pushing forward with construction plans. Residents say they have not disclosed which tech companies will occupy the buildings.  'This debate has destroyed this community,' Archbald Mayor Shirley Barrett told the outlet. 'We want answers, but we have no clue what is going on because this is all happening so quickly.' Cornell Realty Management, the developer for Wildcat Ridge AI Data Center, applied to build 14 massive centers across 400 acres. Calling the project 'ultramodern,'  they said it would help generate $7 million in annual tax revenue for the borough and another $23 million for the school system.  The community gathers at a council to oppose the data center construction Residents have many unanswered questions about environmental concerns and fear for the animals as the forests are starting to be cleared They claimed the campus would be at least 1,500 feet from homes, create 1,280 jobs, and be as quiet as a 'normal conversation.' Developers also said it would use about 50,000 gallons of water a day, not the 3.3 million gallons critics allege.  But 500 residents packed a council meeting in mid-April to denounce the Wildcat Ridge zoning permits.  Outraged locals taunted the developer's lawyer, and tossed the pamphlets into the trash at the council podium.  'They think we are stupid and think we are pushovers,' Judy Quinlan, 81, told WaPo. She added that the community is prepared 'to stand in front of bulldozers' to prevent construction. Archbald Borough Council members who once supported the data centers have even stepped down. Three of the four seats are now held by opponents, with one seat still vacant, per the outlet. It could take months to years before any construction begins, even after the local planning board approves the project, since additional state and local permits are still required.  'No one wants this,' Bachak told the outlet, 'except the people making money off it.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.