OUR STANCE
L.C.O.P. is here to speak for the families in this valley who are tired of being treated like an industrial experiment and for those who are no longer here to speak for themselves.
Our community is riddled with cancer; our rates are significantly higher than both state and national averages. We have spent decades as a dumping ground for industrial negligence.
The Specialty Records/WEA/Cinram Toxic Legacy:
For more than 30 years, the facility reported substantial emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reaching nearly 100 tons in 2001. Our concerns extend beyond the air. Former workers have described chemicals being buried or dumped in nearby woods, mine areas, and Sterry Creek. Those accounts demand a thorough investigation of the soil, water, and sediment, and of whether contamination may be reaching nearby homes through groundwater or vapors entering basements. The building has been gone for years, but the funerals haven't stopped. We are still losing loved ones and neighbors to late-stage cancers and organ failure caused by this toxic debt.
We have already endured the lead-saturated soil of the Marjol Battery site, the toxic emissions from the fourth worse polluter in Pennsylvania in the Jessup Power Plant, and we currently live in the shadow of Pennsylvania's Largest Landfill which looms over our landscape as a constant reminder of environmental negligence. Add to that the legacy of Mine Fires, smoldering beneath the ground and symbolizing yet another chapter of environmental harm our region continues to bear.
We have carried more than our fair share of the state’s toxic burden. To now propose massive data centers that strain our resources is an insult to a community still coping with the poisons of our past. Data centers are among the most energy-intensive buildings in the world. To manage the heat generated by thousands of processors, many data centers use evaporative cooling systems. This process involves consuming millions of gallons of water daily.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. OUR HEALTH IS NOT FOR SALE.
Our history is a timeline of industrial tragedy, and we refuse to add another chapter. For over a century, Northeast PA has been a place where companies with deep pockets break the rules and leave the local residents to bury the dead.
BY OPPOSING THESE DATA CENTERS, WE ARE FINALLY BREAKING THAT CYCLE.
STOP PRIORITIZING PROFIT OVER PEOPLE.
OUR CONCERNS
M𝗼𝗿𝗲 C𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 E𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 I𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Taken together, the long industrial history of the former 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬/ 𝐖𝐄𝐀/ 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, the documented lead contamination associated with the nearby 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐨𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞, emissions from the 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐩 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭, and ongoing concerns about 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 leachate and legacy industrial waste have raised serious concerns for us at L.C.O.P. about the 𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 facing Lackawanna County residents.
We are particularly concerned because much of the area sits above 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬 that can potentially act as pathways for contaminated groundwater, industrial vapors, methane, and volatile and metallic organic compounds (VOCs & MOCs) to migrate above ground during data center construction.
We fear that large-scale redevelopment projects, including proposed data center construction requiring deep excavation, pile driving, drilling, and blasting 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬.
Concerns have specifically focused on chemicals historically associated with the 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬/ 𝐖𝐄𝐀/ 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 in the area, including 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 (𝐓𝐂𝐄), 𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 (𝐏𝐂𝐄), 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐲𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦, 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐭, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 linked in toxicology literature to elevated cancer risks and long-term health impacts.
We worry that disturbing 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 could potentially increase the movement of toxic vapors or contaminated dust into surrounding neighborhoods through mechanisms such as 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.
For many in our community, these concerns are amplified by the unusually high number of former Specialty Records/ WEA/ Cinram employees and local residents reportedly affected by cancer and chronic illness over the past several decades.
As a result, we argue that far more comprehensive environmental investigation, long-term monitoring, public transparency, and independent health review should occur before additional large-scale industrial redevelopment proceeds in a region already burdened by mining, manufacturing, landfill activity, and industrial contamination.
𝐖𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠, 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐅 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝.
Data Center/ Warehouse proposals
Olyphant, PA
Olyphant, PA
Olyphant, PA
In Olyphant, land is currently being cleared for FOUR large warehouses. However, the property is at the center of ongoing litigation involving a developer's efforts to pursue SEVEN large-scale data centers and an electrical substation instead. While the current land clearing is for the approved warehouse development, the proposed data center project raises serious concerns about environmental impacts, noise, and the long-term health and quality of life of surrounding communities.
Throop, PA
Olyphant, PA
Olyphant, PA
In Throop, over 700 acres of environmentally sensitive land near the Keystone Landfill are at risk as developers seek to expand industrial uses for warehouses. These proposals threaten to transform valuable conservation land into industrial development, raising concerns about deforestation, wildlife displacement, and cumulative environmental impacts.
Archbald, PA
Olyphant, PA
Archbald, PA
In Archbald, OVER FIFTY proposed large-scale Data Center Campus's threaten to transform large areas of wooded land and natural habitats into massive industrial campuses, resulting in widespread deforestation, wildlife displacement, and permanent changes to the landscape.
Get to know
𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗵
When Senator Katie Muth was asked about the possibility of becoming governor, she responded:
“𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
Here are some of her accomplishments:
𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Senator Muth introduced SB 1359, calling for a mandatory three-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers and associated infrastructure, including new power plants. She has also introduced SB 453 and SB 454 to close Pennsylvania’s hazardous oil-and-gas waste loopholes and require stronger testing, tracking, and disposal protections for potentially toxic and radioactive drilling waste. She also introduced SB 455 to close the leachate loophole, addressing radioactive drilling waste disposed of in landfills and helping prevent contaminants such as radium from entering wastewater and drinking water.
In 2021, Senator Muth was one of only four Pennsylvania senators who voted against the legislation that established the current sales-tax exemption for data center equipment.
(INter)National Attention
Publications and news outlets based in Indiana, Louisiana, New York City, Connecticut, Seattle, Washington, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and even London, England are reporting on what is happening right here in Lackawanna County!
The growing national and international attention is focused on the massive number of proposed data centers, hundreds of backup generators, associated power infrastructure, and the serious environmental and public health concerns surrounding these developments. One of the biggest concerns is that these projects are being evaluated individually, rather than examining their combined, cumulative impact on our air quality, water resources, public health, infrastructure, and surrounding communities.
When journalists and organizations hundreds and even thousands of miles away are investigating the cumulative risks facing our valley, shouldn't our own local and state officials be taking these concerns just as seriously?
Lackawanna County is gaining national and international attention as an example of why communities deserve transparency, independent environmental studies, and answers BEFORE an entire region is permanently transformed by massive data center development.
Bloomington Indiana
LINK: The Data Center Showdown in Lackawanna County
This article recognizes the passion of local residents and organizations who have come together to protect their neighborhoods, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life. What began as a local concern has grown into a powerful community-driven movement focused on transparency, accountability, and responsible development. Article mentions L.C.O.P.
New York City
LINK: When Data Centers Cluster Together, How Dirty Are They? One County Wants Answers
As opposition grows nationwide to the pollution caused by data centers and the immense power plants they require, officials in Lackawanna County said they hoped their approach might set a new precedent for how proposals are reviewed in other communities.
Baton Rouge Louisianna
LINK: Data Center Pollution Debate Shifts from Individual Projects to Cumulative Risks
In Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, where more than a dozen data centers and fossil-fuel-burning power plants are proposed, officials are taking an unusual approach by studying the cumulative effects of the projects before approving them individually.
Washington D.C.
LINK: Data Centers Could Surround the tiny Pennsylvania Town of Archbald
Developers plan to build six of the sprawling campuses in Archbald to power the demand for artificial intelligence, eventually covering about 14 percent of the town’s land. Those campuses would include 51 data centers each about the size of a Walmart Supercenter, including seven buildings encompassing more than a million square feet.
London UK
LINK: The Quiet Pennsylvania Town Facing a Data Center Boom
Archbald, a town in Lackawanna County nestled between two mountain ranges, is home to the highest number of datacenter proposals in Pennsylvania: six of them are expected to cover almost 15% of the borough. Residents are angry about how close they would be to schools and homes.
New Haven Connecticut
LINK: The Quiet Pennsylvania Town Facing a Data Center Boom
Discusses Archbald's proposed large data centers and residents' concerns about electricity demand and rising utility bills, alongside the anticipated tax revenue.
Seattle Washington
LINK: The AI Boom has Plunged a Small Pennsylvania Town into Chaos
An extensive feature about Archbald, covering six proposed data center campuses, the potential displacement of mobile-home residents, and disputes over how the development proposals have been handled. Article mentions Mr. DeNaples.
Brooklyn New York
LINK: Grassroots Resistance to Data Centers Rises in Pennsylvania
Lackawanna County commissioner Bill Gaughan urged Shapiro in an open letter to support calls such as Katie Muth’s for a three-year moratorium on data center construction. Gaughan, a Democrat, called the planned centers “facilities of extraordinary size and unprecedented infrastructure demand” that promise advances in technology and potentially extra tax revenue, but also raise unresolved questions about energy and water use, environmental impact and strain on housing and local infrastructure.
Pittsburgh PA
LINK: How Tiny Archbald Borough is Handling Data Center Rush
The Pittsburgh based Allegheny Front highlights growing opposition to six proposed data center campuses in Archbald, Pennsylvania. The article examines residents’ concerns about air pollution, water consumption, noise, environmental damage, and potential health risks, while showcasing the bipartisan grassroots movement fighting to protect their community.