DAMASCUS TOWNSHIP, PA — The public hearing for the Damascus Township data center ordinance was held on October 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the township building. It was officiated by the board of supervisors and township solicitor Jeff Treat. 

The public was invited to comment or ask questions. Comments already submitted by email were accepted. Approximately 25 members of the public were on hand. 

Meeting rules 

Rules for the public hearing were spelled out at the start of the meeting. Those rules were: no cussing; no speaking out of turn; no redundant testimony; no hysteria; if the meeting gets out of hand, the meeting closes; and the meeting ends at 10 p.m. if not completed before. 

Damascus residents were called on first, and attendees were told that after they finish, any other Pennsylvania residents may speak or ask a question. Others would be allowed to speak after that. 

Barbara Arrindell, representing the Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, said the ordinance should specify two kinds of noise testing, both dBC and dBZ bands. 

The draft ordinance does specify both kinds of testing. Language from section 435.9.A.2 of the draft of the ordinance reads: “In addition to dBA levels, the developer will need to be able to show that C-weighted noise (dBC) and Octave Bands (dBZ) will be maintained at pre- construction levels.” 

Arindell also said that the fines should be specified, in the event of violations by a data center, and the public should be involved in the environmental solution. She also asked where the setbacks would be measured from. The draft of the ordinance does specify in section 435.3., Dimensional Standards, section C, that the setbacks in question are 250 feet from the Property Line. 

Evan Padua asked if the board was consulting other administrative bodies, said the draft amendment was a “good draft,” mentioned his love and respect for the beauty of the township and the area, and said he was not sure that data centers could add anything to the township. 

Karole Pearce commented that she was concerned that ambivalent language in the draft ordinance may allow a data center to come in as something else. 

Kimberly Browne expressed a “general unease” about data centers in the area and asked about the rule specifying the distances: For noise measurement, was the 1,000-foot designation data driven? 

Steve Lundgren asked for further extension of the moratorium on data center applications for six additional months so that the public here can prepare. Like several others, he thanked the board “for being proactive on this.” 

Heidi Hackemer expressed gratitude that the board was on top of this issue. Her question was: If the decommissioning of any data center, once the industrial use was finished, must begin within one year, when would the full decommissioning be finished? 

David Landis of the Damascus Manor Community Center asked how the public would be informed of what is happening with this matter, going forward.

Nuclear power

Kyle Devlin, a resident of Susquehanna County (and candidate for PA House of Representatives, District 111), spoke of the experience he had with the Berlin Township data center ordinance and the question of the micro-reactors. 

Berlin Township had passed a comprehensive data center ordinance that included resource analysis and impact analysis requirements, and analysis of possible nuclear radiation as well as other site planning mandates. Devlin provided information on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) live to the board by cell phone. 

This included the NRC’s proposed changes in regulations regarding factory-fabricated microreactors.

Pennsylvania had passed House Bill 2017 (also knows as Act 37 of 2026) which updates the fee structure and definitions of the Radiation Protection Act, making it easier for the nuclear industry to build and use small modular reactors (SRMs) in Pennsylvania. The SMRs are assembled in factories and shipped to the sites where they are used to provide electricity. This kind of legislation encourages the use of SMRs and micro-reactors.This is one way data centers and other projects power their operations. 

Devlin also noted that the residents of Clinton Township were unable to access the data center plan that was submitted to their township earlier this year, and he asserted that once a township has a plan of this type in hand, the public should be informed. 

No further extensions on the moratorium can be granted. 

It should be noted that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recent executive order requires that any data-center facility exceeding 25 megawatts of peak demand must sign a legally binding infrastructure agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).

The township officials explained that with every conditional use application, the same process is followed. A submission is checked for all the required items, then reviewed by the Damascus Township Planning Commission, then sent to the solicitor and then to the Wayne County Planning Commission. The Damascus Planning Commission then incorporates the recommendations from the solicitor, and the comments from the county planning commission, before the application is being given to the board of supervisors for their review, after which a public hearing is scheduled. 

As for this ordinance, it was explained that the finished version would be ready by October 19, which is the next board of supervisors’ meeting, and updates will appear on the website. If there comes a need for additional amendments to this ordinance, that will be done, with public notice and public hearing or meeting. 

The meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m.