Archbald borough officials have scheduled a second public hearing to review a controversial proposal for a massive data center campus that has drawn sharp opposition from both county and state lawmakers. The hearing is set for Tuesday, March 10, at 5 p.m. in the Valley View High School auditorium, where residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the project’s significant environmental footprint. Cornell Realty Management LLC is seeking a conditional use application to construct 14 data centers across the Eynon and Sturges sections of the borough, a project that experts say could consume as much as 1.6 gigawatts of power and 3.3 million gallons of water every day.
The high-stakes meeting comes as local leaders and environmental advocates voice concerns over the strain such a facility would place on regional infrastructure and natural resources. Opponents, including several Lackawanna County officials, have questioned the long-term impact on utility rates and the local water supply, arguing that the scale of the campus is unprecedented for the area. This second session at Valley View High School is intended to provide a transparent forum for the developer to present refined details and for the community to address the potential consequences of turning the mountainside into a major technological hub.