South Strabane Township Supervisors Postpone Data Center Ordinance Vote Amid Confusion

South Strabane Township supervisors will not vote on a data center ordinance during their meeting tonight due to confusion over the agenda resulting from a legal advertisement error. Instead, public hearings will address ordinances on solar energy systems and battery energy storage.

Earlier this year, JLL began marketing a 1,500-acre land tract owned by CNX Resources for an AI data center, with 400 buildable acres available. However, no lease has been finalized, and there are currently no development applications.

The township supervisor indicated that a data center ordinance may not be considered until 2026. The Center for Coalfield Justice recently held a meeting to raise awareness of the energy and water consumption of data centers, with concerns over temporary construction jobs versus permanent employment and local impacts on property values. The supervisors will meet at 6 p.m. tonight at the municipal building.