Residents near the Markley data center and members of the Lowell Sustainability Council pressed city sustainability staff on July 24 for more information about diesel backup generators, on-site fuel storage and other emissions and noise controls as the company seeks further approvals.

Jake, a South Lowell resident who said he lives directly uphill from the facility, told the council that existing and newly installed generators have created ongoing noise and fume problems and warned of a longer-term risk if alternatives are not pursued. "If we don't do something now, then the entire site is gonna be run on diesel," he said.

The council's sustainability staff has been asked to engage Markley since the City Council asked the sustainability division to explore more sustainable alternatives after approving additional diesel generators earlier this year. Cynthia, a sustainability-division staff member, told the council that Catherine from the division has already spoken with a Markley representative about the generators but not yet about fuel storage.

Why this matters: council members and residents said the facility sits near dense housing and that both emissions and a recurring, high‑pitched noise from temporary chillers and older engines already affect neighbors. The city council approved more generator capacity; city staffers and residents want the sustainability division to push for mitigation, ask specific technical questions and report back so the Lowell Sustainability Council can monitor progress.

Key details discussed included how often engines run and how they are tested. Jake described weekly five‑minute individual tests and longer annual "burns" averaged to about four hours per engine; he said two older units are run for "seven to eight hour burns" at times. He also described four older south‑side engines installed earlier that lack modern filtration and sit closest to residences.

Council members described options they want the city to explore with Markley, including emission controls and alternatives such as fuel‑cell technology, microgrids and other load‑management strategies. Mary, a council member, urged working directly with the city sustainability division rather than duplicating staff efforts: "We actually have a very able division of sustainability," she said, and recommended the council support and coordinate with that office.

The Lowell Sustainability Council voted to ask the sustainability division — specifically Catherine and her team — to provide a written status report on communications with Markley and any questions the division has already addressed, and to share that report with the council if possible before the next meeting. The motion passed; one member said they would abstain.

Council members also discussed noise evidence that residents recorded during unscheduled events and load tests, and a resident described sustained 80‑decibel readings recorded near equipment during a multi‑hour event. Residents asked the city to confirm whether the generators are meeting MassDEP requirements regarding stack height and emissions, and whether older engines should be retrofitted with add‑on controls.

What the council asked staff to do next: provide a written summary of the division's meetings and communications with Markley, identify any mitigation measures Markley has committed to, and list outstanding technical or permitting issues for the council's review. Several council members said they would follow up by offering specific questions the division could use, but Mary urged the council to wait for Catherine's report first.

No new city permitting decisions were made at the council meeting. Markley must return to the City Council and other permitting bodies for approvals related to on‑site fuel storage in the coming months, according to council members' statements.