Many years ago, the first time I saw a living hummingbird here in NEPA, I had such a sense of unreality and overwhelming awe at its fairy-like existence. That was close to what I felt at the Clinton Township Planning Commission on Thursday evening, May 7. 

The people spoke as one.

Although the meetings are normally bereft of attendees, there were more than 300 local residents sitting and standing, crowded into the rather substantial Clinton municipal meeting hall, gathered primarily to discuss a forthcoming, vaguely described, “land development” proposal offered by stiff-necked lawyers from the Linde Corporation. 

To a person, the local people were adamant and emotional in their staunch opposition to what was a thinly disguised proposal for a data center. 

The atmosphere was tense, but the public testimony was largely respectful. A resident quoted Trout Unlimited, and predicted that with any forthcoming construction of a data center, there would be an end to pristine Clinton Township streams and waters. A machinist talked about leaving work at the end of the day and enjoying the quiet nature around him that might soon be gone. A woman homeowner feared for her well and the surrounding waters that would be negatively affected by the necessary use of vast amounts of unrecoverable water by the impending data center.  

Issues of unrelenting noise were aired on behalf of both Clinton residents and locally treated ailing Veterans recovering from injuries (including PTSD) as they communed with nature and hunted and fished adjacent to what might soon become the data center. A 39-year resident recalled his efforts in leaving a wrecked environment in Staten Island to seek the refuge of nature, locally, and warned the amassed residents neither to trust any developer promises nor their attending “slimy lawyers.” 

With a strong Irish brogue, a man quoted the first article of the PA Constitution and reminded the commission of their responsibility to protect the public from undue harm to PA citizens’ ways of life. Many more spoke in a similar vein. Vociferous and unanimous in their dissent, the residents rejected the Linde data center proposal (late by statute for any decision this month) and with no exception or equivocation strongly urged that the project be rejected by the planning commission. 

At next month’s meeting, the people have promised to return (next time, there will be a microphone supplied!), and likely this matter will be put to rest. Going forward, not unlike a hummingbird, almost assuredly Clinton Township will continue undefiled and pristine. Primarily, this is due to the heartfelt actions of many of its outspoken residents.

John Pace lives in Honesdale, PA. He writes on Substack at John in the Woods.