The Bethlehem Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a two-story, 65,000-square-foot data center planned for an industrial park near Routes 22 and 378, closing out a hearing that drew dozens of residents who came to voice their opposition to the project.

The decision, reached in front of a packed audience, did not quiet the crowd.

Approval Secured for 120-MW Data Center

During the vote and afterward, opponents expressed their frustration at both commissioners and the development team, at one point shouting "shame" together in unison.

The project is a collaboration between data-center company Tensor IQ and construction contractor Boyle Construction, which announced in August that they intend to build a 120-megawatt facility on a vacant parcel at 2184 Industrial Drive.

Approval came in two parts: commissioners first unanimously granted three waivers to the city's land development application requirements, then unanimously granted the project its final approval.

What the Developers Promised on Noise, Water, and Power

Dylan Panebianco, Vice President of operations at Boyle Construction, addressed both the commission and the crowded hearing room, telling them the data center's plans would mitigate impacts on sound, pollution, and electric bills for the surrounding area. On the power side, the facility will depend on three natural gas generators housed in a basement 20 feet below ground.

Those generators are expected to supply roughly 20% of the data center's energy needs, but they also have the capacity to power the entire facility on their own in the event of power outages or strain on the electrical grid.

Beyond the on-site equipment, the developers committed to financing USD 86 million in upgrades to the electrical grid and to covering the cost of a new natural gas line that will feed the center. Cooling at the facility will be handled by a closed loop system installed on the building's roof, which uses a combination of water and glycol.

The developers said the system will not draw water from local waterways.

Even so, the data center is projected to use approximately 45 million gallons of water, a figure tied to Environmental Protection Agency requirements for mitigating pollution from the natural gas generators through evaporation into the air.

Noise was another point the developers emphasized. The facility is expected to generate no more than 55 decibels, a level that falls within the city's legal requirements and sits well below the maximum noise levels already measured in the area, which reach around 70 decibels.

Sean Boyle, President of Boyle Construction, framed the proposal as a good fit for its location.

"We think this is the right project in the right site," he said. "We've tried to be conscious about the community, the noise, the sound, as you can see, the water, and the electric.

And we want this to be something that at the end of the day, we can all be proud of."

Residents Press Their Case and Say Information Was Lacking

The developers' assurances did not satisfy the opponents who filled the room. Residents argued that the development team had not gone far enough to shield neighbors from potential harms and had failed to supply enough detail about what they were planning.

A key point of contention involves Bethlehem's own regulatory timeline. Last month, the city approved an ordinance that tightens restrictions on data centers within city limits.

Because the developers filed their application before that ordinance took effect, the project is not subject to the stricter rules it created.

The developers acknowledged as much, saying their plans meet nearly all of the requirements in the new ordinance, with one notable exception: the "setback" rules, which require data centers to be at least 1,000 feet from "sensitive" uses such as homes, schools, and hospitals.

Although the proposed facility sits in an industrial area, it would be located just north of a residential neighborhood across Route 22.

Bret Becker, who lives in that neighborhood, pressed the commission on what residents would actually gain from the project.

"What will be the true benefit to this community with this? I don't see any. From my standpoint, where I live, there is nothing," he said.

"Developers say they're in the local community; that's fine, but on that picture [of the proposed data center site], you could see my house. Do you see your houses there? Would you want your house right next to a data center?"

Why Commissioners Looked Past the Crowd's Anger

Commission members acknowledged the depth of feeling in the room but explained that their role is narrower than many in the audience hoped.

They said they are charged with evaluating land development proposals against the city's laws and regulations, not weighing public opposition itself.

Commission Chair Robert Melosky laid out that reasoning in his remarks.

"Bethlehem can welcome responsible private investment while insisting on and putting on those guardrails and insisting on accountability, transparency, and compliance with applicable standards," he said.

"Our job is not to stand in the way of progress; our job is to make certain that progress occurs responsibly and with protections. And I believe that if the applicant has demonstrated he is in compliance."

Waivers and a Community Benefits Pledge Folded Into the Approval

Alongside the technical commitments on power, water, and noise, the developers agreed to dedicate a portion of their revenue to projects intended to benefit the community. They did not specify details but said they are working with an activist based at the University of Notre Dame who will help conduct public outreach on a community benefits agreement.

The legal foundation for the approval rests partly on zoning.

The Industrial Drive site is zoned for industrial use, and under the city's former ordinance, data centers are permitted there "by-right."

Still, the developer sought three waivers from the city's land development application requirements, and commissioners granted all three unanimously. The waivers exempt the developer from tree-planting requirements; the developer will instead pay a "fee in lieu of" planting the required trees and from a limit on the width of driveways leading into the data center.

Opponents had specifically asked commissioners to deny the waivers as a way to stall the project, but the commission declined to do so. Instead, members voted unanimously to grant the waiver requests, then moved directly to the final approval vote that cleared the 65,000-square-foot facility over the objections of the crowd in attendance.