TOWN OF ALABAMA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Neighbors in Genesee County gathered to learn more about a planned data center coming to their community, with many expressing opposition to the multi-billion-dollar project.
Stream Data Centers is planning to build a state-of-the-art campus at STAMP in Genesee County. STAMP stands for Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park, located in the town of Alabama.
The database management company held an informational session where residents could have one-on-one time with the developer to discuss the potential impacts of the high-tech facility.
"Eventually, data centers are going to be a reality. So, if it's going to happen, then we should really be planning for a heavy green structure landscaping in the area to take care of this," said Paul Maurer, chairman of Re-Tree WNY.
According to Pew Research, the U.S. has more than 4,000 data centers. Site Selection & Development Manager Bradley Wells said this data center will create 125 full-time positions.
The company hopes to start construction as early as this year, but many residents I spoke with agreed they do not want this data center in their community.
Residents raise noise and environmental concerns
Town of Alabama resident Anne Bacon lives on the boundary of the STAMP site and within a mile of the development site. Her concerns include sound, light pollution and the development size.
"What hasn't really been measured or talked about related to that is that it's a 24-hour sound system. It's not anything like when they talk about a passing car or a motorcycle or a dishwasher. It's never about that running 24 hours a day," Bacon said. "It's disgusting. It's a sellout of what they promised. It seems to be very much of a financial grab at the expense of the community."
Grandell Hallett Logan also has concerns about noise and wildlife. He's the spokesperson for the Tonawanda Seneca Nation Council of Chiefs. The territory is near the STAMP project.
"Our people make use of them quite often. We use it for hunting, for plants, for medicines, for food plants, any kind of thing that you could gather, we can gather it there at the 'Big woods,'" Logan said.
He said the nation is pursuing a stoppage of the data center, calling it irresponsible and not feasible for the infrastructure in the area.
"It's going to have such an impact that it is inevitably going to change our lives, and that's what we're fighting for," Logan said.
Developer addresses environmental concerns
When asked about the environmental concerns residents raised, Wells addressed the vibration concerns.
"From a vibrational standpoint, there are no long-term, continuous vibrational issues with data centers. Actually, vibration is one of the things that we consider in the site selection process because this is high-tech infrastructure," Wells said.
Regarding water usage concerns, Wells said the facility will use existing infrastructure.
"We will be using the existing municipal water infrastructure, so we won't be installing any wells that will be drawing from the aquifer to begin with," Wells said.
Wells said the total water use over the three buildings is 20,000 gallons a day.
The company hopes to start construction this year with a completion date sometime in 2030.
To learn more, head to StreamWNY.com.
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