Kline Township Supervisors Vote Unanimously to Approve Amazon Data Center Project
KELAYRES, PA — The Kline Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in a special meeting Wednesday to approve Amazon’s proposed multi-million-dollar data center campus in Schuylkill County.
The decision grants formal approval for the 350-acre development situated near Route 309 and Interstate 81. The planned facility calls for approximately two million square feet of data center structures alongside 500,000 square feet of administrative and support buildings operated by Amazon Web Services.
The vote came despite vocal pushback from numerous Kline Township residents in attendance, who voiced serious concerns regarding potential noise pollution, blasting impacts, water consumption, and strain on local utility infrastructure. Many community members urged supervisors to table the vote or impose stricter zoning and environmental safeguards before granting final approval.
While supervisors adopted the conditional recommendations set forth by the township planning commission—including requirements for pre- and post-blasting structural surveys on nearby homes and post-construction acoustic testing—residents expressed frustration that additional restrictions were not mandated.
With the board’s approval secured, Amazon must now apply for and obtain official township zoning permits, as well as required state environmental clearances, before breaking ground on the site.
