In a meeting that stretched for three hours, the Lackawanna County Commissioners faced significant public pressure but chose not to proceed with a $165,000 study on the health impacts of proposed data centers, leaving residents concerned about future developments in their community.
“We, the people, should not be standing here throwing research at you and hoping that it sticks,” said Eva Rappenguneck, a resident of Olyphant, during the meeting. “That’s your job. Your job is to do the research and make the best decisions for our communities, not us.”
The meeting saw around 40 residents present, some of whom displayed signs in protest. The county is looking at proposals for 15 campuses, which include multiple data centers and several power plants in Dickson City and Archbald.
Commissioner Bill Gaughan had suggested employing Dr. Michael Cork’s research group, Empower Analytics Group, to perform a scientific analysis of the public health implications associated with these developments. Cork had previously assessed the impact of backup generators for the Stop Archbald Data Centers group.
Debate Over Funding and Responsibility
During the discussions, the commissioners concurred on the potential benefits of the study but debated the financial implications. While Gaughan was ready to push for a vote, his colleagues questioned the funding allocation and proposed exploring additional sources.
“We certainly are for doing this health assessment, and I want to assure everybody that you know I’m on board with doing it,” Commissioner Chris Chermak emphasized. “But we have to look at funding it. It’s not in our budget.”
Gaughan, however, argued that the budget could accommodate the study, citing that more substantial expenditures had already been approved in the same meeting.
“Just today at this meeting, we’ve spent well over $500,000 on equipment, on software, on this and that. You’re trying to tell me that $165,000 that we have in our budget … You’re trying to tell me that that is too much money,” Gaughan said.
Community Distrust and Legal Battles
The possibility of involving the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) was raised, but residents expressed skepticism about the state’s intentions.
Meanwhile, Tammy Misewicz-Healey of the Stop Archbald Data Centers group stressed the necessity of the study for legal proceedings, given the lack of existing health assessments.
“What do you need in a legal battle? You need evidence. So the health impact assessment that we want from this county is because nobody has given us a health assessment yet,” Misewicz-Healey stated.
Meeting Ends in Frustration
The meeting concluded contentiously, with Gaughan motioning for a vote to include the study proposal on the next agenda, a motion that was not seconded by the other commissioners.
In a pointed remark, Gaughan questioned his colleagues, “What investment is more important than knowing whether the communities we represent will bear the cumulative burden of dozens of massive industrial facilities?”
The debate highlighted the community’s urgent need for clarity on public health implications, but left the question of funding and responsibility unresolved.
