- Data center developer offers households $10,000 each in attempt to get huge campus approved
- Residents have called the payment a ‘bribe’, and list numerous concerns over pollution, water use, and property values
- Developer’s chief marketing officer called the payment a “pretty radical and pretty leading-edge” idea
Households in Hazle, Pennsylvania, were offered $10,000 each as part of a plan to help get a 1,300 acre AI data center built near the town – but it hasn’t gone exactly as planned.
NorthPoint Development believed the scheme – which would cost $45 million – would help convince local residents to get on board with having the campus built, but many residents are calling the payment a “bribe” and have refused.
The developers have also planned a further $120 million over the next 15 years through funding for community projects and the police department if the data center is approved.
Money isn’t everything
“As a direct answer to the question ‘What’s in it for me?’ I think we came up with something pretty radical and pretty leading-edge,” said Brent Miles, NorthPoint’s chief marketing officer.
Residents were sent a letter in June offering each household a $10,000 “grant” as part of the developers plans to build the campus at the foot of the Pocono Mountains, which is dotted with scenic lakes, rivers, forests, and recreational resorts.
The $10,000 grant would be a significant sum for most Hazle residents, with the median household income sitting at $60,000 – far below the national median of around $87,000.
Outside of being seen as a bribe, some residents see it as a way for the developer to cause issues between those who will be closer to the data center and those living further away.
Ed Parks, who lives adjacent to the planned site, said, “They are trying to drive a wedge between Hazle Township residents who are directly affected by the data center, like myself, and people who might live a couple of miles away”
Small town concerns match the bigger picture
Many Hazle residents are concerned about pollution, water usage, energy costs, and excessive noise caused by the site. There are also concerns that property values could drop if the site is approved, worsening economic factors for local residents even further.
These concerns align with those on the national level. The Trump Administration has made AI data centers exempt from environmental protection requirements, and numerous sites have already been caught polluting rivers and water treatment plants with chemicals and bacteria.
Residents close to existing data centers have reported symptoms of nausea and dizziness related to the noise of polluting gas burning turbines that many sites have turned to as an alternative to connecting to local grids.
A recent survey has found that the majority of Americans now believe that AI data centers are bad for the environment, which is causing serious issues for the Trump Administration as the US heads towards the midterm elections. Data centers are becoming a key issue for those looking for election or re-election – despite billions of dollars being poured into the campaigns of pro-AI candidates.
These issues are likely to persist, and more sites are likely to be delayed or cancelled by local residents – no matter how many times Trump tries to change what we call AI.
