Vineland Planning Board Approves Second Phase of 300-MW Data Center Despite Community Opposition

The Vineland Planning Board in New Jersey has approved the site plan for the second phase of a 300-megawatt data center project, a decision that came after a marathon six-hour public hearing marked by intense community opposition. The facility, developed by DataOne for the Nebius Group, is designed to support artificial intelligence infrastructure as part of a broader $17 billion agreement with Microsoft. The first phase of the project has already received approval and is currently under construction.

The approval was granted late into the night by an 8-1 vote, drawing audible boos from the audience gathered at a local theater. During the public comment period, dozens of residents urged the board to reject the proposal, citing concerns over liquefied natural gas (LNG) safety, carbon emissions, and water usage. Notably, no one spoke in favor of the plan during the hearing, reflecting the depth of local unease.

“This isn’t something that needs to be rushed, because Vineland residents, win or lose, we’re not going anywhere. We’re stuck with the success or failure of the data center,” said resident Eric Rodriguez during public comment. “Vote no. There’s a lot of questions, and a lot of answers we’re still waiting on.”

The project has faced repeated revisions, and residents said they felt blindsided by the evolving plans. The property owner had originally floated the idea of building a golf course on the site before shifting to the data center proposal. Board member John Casadia, the sole dissenting vote, argued that a “thorough investigation” of potential environmental impacts is needed before the project proceeds. However, the majority of the board maintained that the plan complies with local zoning laws and requires no variance relief, making approval the appropriate course of action.

Sustain SJ, a grassroots group formed to oppose the development, condemned the decision as “irresponsible.” Nichole Gardner, the group’s co-chair, said in a statement: “To say that this site has approved zoning, while ignoring the flawed designs and potential risks to public safety and health, either means they are being wilfully ignorant or that they don’t understand everything that was presented to them. It is truly unfortunate that our local government officials have made the decision to allow a single corporation free reign over our resources.”

The approved site plan enables the data center to generate the majority of its own energy on site, using natural gas supplied through an existing pipeline operated by South Jersey Gas. To guard against supply interruptions, the facility will include a 1.5-million gallon LNG storage tank. Power generation will rely on Bloom Energy fuel cells, which convert natural gas into electricity through an electrochemical reaction, producing minimal amounts of air pollutants such as nitrous oxides and sulfur oxides.

While the on-site energy generation is intended to reduce strain on the electrical grid and shield ratepayers from rising electricity costs, the environmental trade-offs are significant. Estimates suggest the Bloom Energy units would release more than 2 billion pounds of climate-warming carbon dioxide annually. The project also marks a milestone for Bloom Energy, as it would become the company’s largest single-site fuel cell installation to date, surpassing its current 80-megawatt facility in South Korea.

Water usage has emerged as another flashpoint. The data center would employ more than 400 fans for cooling, supplemented by a misting spray system during particularly hot days. While part of the plan involves water reuse, the misting spray would result in evaporation losses. Developers estimate the facility would draw approximately 8 million gallons of water per year from the city’s supply, which serves residents and businesses with over 3 billion gallons annually.

EarthJustice attorney Casandia Bellevue said additional environmental studies are necessary to fully understand the project’s impact. “What happens to that water once they use it? Do they have to dispose of it at a certain point, and if they do dispose of it, what’s going to be in that water?” she asked. “Will there be hazardous chemicals? Will there be things that constitute a danger to the groundwater or municipal water system?”

It remains unclear which further approvals DataOne will need to operate its energy plan. Bellevue believes the developers must apply for a pre-construction permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, as well as a certificate of operation from the state.

Following the vote, DataOne issued a statement pledging continued engagement with the community. “We’re grateful to the Planning Board for its careful review and to all the residents who took part,” a spokesperson said. “We take our responsibility to be good neighbors seriously and will continue to engage with the Vineland community as we complete construction and operate at full capacity later this year.”

The decision underscores the growing tension between the rapid expansion of AI-driven data center infrastructure and local concerns about environmental and public health impacts. As large-scale facilities increasingly seek self-generated power solutions, communities across the country are grappling with how to balance economic development against sustainability and safety considerations.