New Jersey Officials Backtrack After Residents Raised Alarm Over Data Centers
Summary
Officials in Wallington, New Jersey, removed data centers from a redevelopment plan after residents expressed strong concerns about potential environmental and community impacts. The redevelopment had included data centers as a permitted use for a former dairy site, but no formal plans for them had been made.Key Facts
- Wallington officials revised the redevelopment plan to remove all references to data centers.
- The redevelopment land was previously the Farmland Dairy plant, which closed in 2014.
- Ordinance 21, introduced in August 2026, allowed data centers as a future land use, upsetting residents.
- Residents worried that approving the plan could lead to data centers being built near homes.
- Wallington Mayor Melissa Dabal said no formal data center proposals have been submitted.
- Opposition grew strong enough to fill a Planning Board meeting in September.
- The revised ordinance removing data centers is planned to be introduced on October 29.
- Data centers are controversial nationally, with many Americans concerned about their environmental and quality of life impacts.
- In New Jersey, 72% of voters oppose data centers in their towns, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton poll.
- Local Representative Nellie Pou is concerned about data centers' environmental damage and is investigating a recent fuel spill at a nearby data center.
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