Archbald Borough Council denies data center permit, triggering council resignations
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Apr 26
Archbald Borough Council denies data center permit, triggering council resignations
7 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Apr 26
The council unanimously rejected an 18-building data center campus, prompting four of seven council members and several planning board members to resign amid escalating community tensions.
Three of the four vacated council seats have now been filled by data center opponents, while developers continue to pursue six proposed campuses covering 14% of Archbald’s land.
Residents cite environmental, noise, and infrastructure concerns, fueling one of the region’s most contentious grassroots campaigns and reflecting a broader national backlash against large-scale data center developments.
With federal policy fast-tracking data centers, can local opposition still win?
As developers sue the town, can a newly-elected council legally stop billion-dollar data centers?
Will new state rules protect communities, or simply greenwash massive data center projects?
Is the AI boom creating a new wave of 'sacrifice zones' in rural American towns?
When a town's government resigns en masse, who truly holds the power: residents or corporations?
How much water and power is too much for one industry to demand from a single community?
Archbald Borough’s Battle Over 6 Data Centers: Permit Denials, Council Collapse, and Legal Showdowns
Overview
In March 2026, the Archbald Borough Council denied the conditional use permit for the large Project Scott data center, citing the developer's failure to meet key requirements. This decision sparked political turmoil, leading to multiple council resignations and the appointment of new members, including a prominent activist, shifting the council toward stricter oversight and greater community engagement. The developer responded with legal challenges, claiming automatic approval due to procedural issues, while residents filed lawsuits contesting zoning changes that enabled such projects. Amid a regional data center boom threatening local resources and environment, the new council is pushing for stronger regulations and transparency to protect Archbald’s community and future.