Residents tell Pinelands Commission to press DEP on Vineland data-center water and power plans

Several public commenters used the Jan. 9 Pinelands Commission meeting to raise concerns about a large data-center project in Vineland that they say has shifted from a traditional data center to a facility with substantial on-site power generation and growing water demands.

Heidi from the Pinelands Alliance said she attended a Vineland City Council meeting with “hundreds of residents” and described the project as having changed substantially over time without an environmental impact statement. She said the project now includes more than 300 generators and plans for three natural-gas turbines and behind-the-meter power generation for most or all of the facility’s needs. “With all of these substantial changes, there's still no environmental impact statement,” she said.

Another public commenter, later identified by the chair as Jerry O'Mink, said more than 250 residents attended the council meeting and called the process insufficiently transparent. He criticized use of an urban enterprise zone loan program for what he described as a large international company and recommended that the commission send a letter to DEP to scrutinize potential water-resource impacts.

Why it matters: commenters said the project's evolving scope could substantially increase local water and air emissions impacts, and they urged the commission to ensure DEP and municipal officials evaluate those effects, including whether formal environmental review is required.

What’s next: commenters asked the commission to coordinate with DEP and local officials; staff did not announce formal follow-up at the Jan. 9 meeting beyond continuing coordination with state liaisons.

Ending: the commission did not vote on any action related to the Vineland project at the Jan. 9 meeting; public commenters asked the commission to monitor the situation and consider formal correspondence with DEP.