Terra Watt Co. wants to build a large data center on the site of the old Appvion Paper mill in Taylor Township, and residents are being asked to trust promises that haven't been tested. Company representatives say the facility will be air-cooled, use far less water than typical data centers, and won't raise electric bills. But no environmental review, no independent noise study, and no binding agreement have been put in front of the public.

Residents who packed the September township meeting raised real questions that deserve real answers: Who pays if the electric grid needs upgrading? What happens to property values near a facility running 24/7? Will promised noise buffers actually hold up over time? As local resident Carol Taylor put it, "Must be teeth in the enforcement mechanism. They must shut down if they do not comply."

That's the heart of it. A verbal promise from a company isn't a guarantee, and once construction starts, it's much harder for a community to demand changes. The Taylor Township Board of Supervisors, led by Chairman Jerome Dodson, along with Solicitor Patrick Fanelli, should commit now to requiring an independent environmental and noise impact study, a public hearing before any permit is issued, and binding enforcement terms, including shutdown provisions, if the facility fails to meet its promises.

Taylor Township has already lost industry once. Residents deserve a real say before another major facility reshapes their community, not after.

Sign the petition to demand an independent impact study and binding enforcement terms before Taylor Township approves the data center.