I want to say thank you for taking the time to read, and potentially sign this petition. Please scroll down to read the petition. 

(Added Edit 2) Per the nottingham-nh.gov site, the contact for the planning board is 

Tracy Stickney

 (603) 734-4881

plan.zone@nottingham-nh.gov

(Added Edit) I am adding this here in hopes more people will attend- There is a public protest planned outside the Nottingham Town Offices at 139 Stage Rd, Nottingham, NH 03290 during the time of the planning board meeting. Wednesday 05/27 at 6:30pm. Attend if you can! 

The Threat to Our Community 

Nottingham, NH is a rural community defined by its quiet landscape, backroads, and natural beauty. This small-town of approximately 5,600 people is now under direct threat. On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 6:30 PM, developer Tom Moulton will go before the Planning Board to pitch a 40 plus acre data center facility on a 100 acre parcel located at 145 Old Turnpike Road (Route 4). Yes, 40+ acres!! This is the site previously known as the USA Springs property. We must stand up, show up, and voice our opposition to this project before it goes further in Our community.

Information About Data Centers 

A typical data center is a warehouse filled with thousands of computer servers that store internet data. However, with changing technology, modern data centers are built specifically for high-density Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. These are not standard cloud storage facilities. They require up to ten times more power per square foot than traditional data centers, which places a large burden on the regional electric grid. Because AI chips run hot, these facilities must consume millions of gallons of water daily, or use massive industrial chillers to keep from overheating. This infrastructure is entirely unaligned with the quiet town of Nottingham.

The Critical Impacts

The proposed site on Route 4 contains roughly 30 - 40 acres of wetlands, making development of this scale a major ecological concern. Building a high-density complex here directly threatens the Lamprey River Watershed, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River system. Data centers extract immense volumes of water from local aquifers to keep their processors cold, or they release chemical water vapor into the air from industrial cooling towers. Any drop in the water table, or chemical runoff into this underground network threatens the drinking water supply for Nottingham and individuals in the area relying on wells. Clearing 40 acres of land permanently disturbs local wildlife, and destroys ecosystems that have existed for generations.

The concern is that the environmental damage cannot easily be contained within the property lines of 145 Old Turnpike Road. When we look at the broader region, it is surrounded by highly sensitive bodies of water like Pawtuckaway Lake, Mendums Pond, North River Pond, Stonehouse Pond, and even more. While those specific water bodies are separate from the exact plot of the data center, they could potentially be affected by runoff, discharge, and/or pollution. Allowing this here sets a dangerous precedent for all ponds, lakes, rivers, and lands across our entire state.

The infrastructure strain extends directly to the community’s utility bills and daily lives. Route 4 is a critical transportation route, but it cannot sustain heavy industrial operations. When data centers strain regional power grids, electric utilities are forced with massive infrastructure and substation upgrades. While the tech companies pay for the immediate hookups, the cost of grid upgrades is legally passed down to local utility consumers, driving up everyone's monthly electric bills. Additionally, the constant, 24/7 low-frequency hum from industrial cooling fans can be heard for miles. This noise does not stay contained; it carries across open spaces, through the woods, and into neighborhoods, destroying the peace of our area.

The Illusion of Community Benefits

Proponents argue that this project brings substantial tax revenue to Nottingham, but the reality is a poor trade-off for residents. Data centers are automated facilities that operate with very few people. Once the out of town construction crews leave, a 40 acre data center typically employs fewer than 10 to 30 permanent staff, and most of those positions are specialized IT engineers hired from outside the community anyways. Mr. Moulton is exploring this project on spec, meaning he does not have an actual tech tenant lined up. He is asking Nottingham to risk its natural resources just to make his vacant land marketable to a hypothetical buyer.

Who is Behind This?

To defend our community effectively, we must understand who is presenting the project. Tom Moulton is a developer with deep commercial roots in New Hampshire. He is the founder of De Niro Construction and CEO of Sleepnet Corporation in Hampton. He was a founding partner of Planet Fitness, serves as a director for Northway Bank, and operates the Route 4 site under the corporate entity Nottingham Business Park, LLC. Mr. Moulton views this project strictly as a business transaction. In public statements regarding data center expansion, he has remarked that residents need to get reconciled to data centers whether they like them or not, and has asked public forums, "If not New Hampshire, where?" Our answer to him must be clear. Not in Our Community, or New Hampshire in general. 

Why We Must Speak Up Now, and What You Can Do

Mr. Moulton has stated that because this project is in the conceptual stage, residents and community members cannot stop it yet. This is incorrect. He is actively testing our appetite for industrial development. If we remain silent, that silence will be interpreted as consent. Planning boards are legally bound to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. We must show up to the planning board meeting on May 27 at 6:30 PM in Conference Room #1 to create an undeniable record of community opposition. We cannot allow high-density AI infrastructure to permanently alter Our landscape.

Sign this petition to tell the Planning Board to protect our water, protect our grid, and reject the proposed Route 4 Data Center.