Pins matching date:2026-01-13

A developer linked to multiple regional data center projects has submitted four applications to build four data centers on undeveloped mountainside land across multiple properties above Business Route 6 in Dickson City, spanning approximately 1.5 miles from the Blakely border toward Scranton. The proposal, filed by Dickson City Development LLC—affiliated with Kriger Construction—features multiple sites: three two-story buildings, each with 147,000-square-foot footprints, and a fourth 107,820-square-foot data center on land owned by Fore Up Realty, above Cold Spring Road. The three buildings are across multiple parcels, including two on adjacent parcels owned by the Circle Drive-In and HFS Realty Inc. (1501 Albright Avenue), and another on land on Bell Mountain owned by Mountainview DC Realty LLC. \n On February 12, Dickson City approved a zoning ordinance restricting data center development to manufacturing-zoned districts. On February 17, Dickson City's zoning officer denied all four applications, citing insufficient information and a zoning ordinance for data centers that prohibited their development on commercially zoned land above Business Route 6. For context, Dickson City only has approximately 7–8 viable acres zoned for manufacturing, located on the opposite side of town, so this decision had the potential to stop development entirely. However, on April 29, at a Dickson City zoning hearing, an attorney representing Dickson City Development LLC appealed the denial. \n Residents are worried about the Circle Drive-In Theater potentially selling, though its president stated at the meeting that there are no current plans to do so. \n As of May 20, 2026, Dickson City zoning officials rejected (3-0) Dickson City Development LLC's zoning challenge to invalidate Dickson City's previous decision to only allow data center development in a light manufacturing district. This essentially rejects the proposals, however considering it is not a full plan withdrawal, more legal battles may be under way.

California introduced several data center bills in 2026: SB 886 requires the PUC to establish a special tariff to protect ratepayers from data center transmission costs. SB 887 allows data centers to be eligible for Environmental Leadership Development Project streamlining if they are net-zero water. SB 1014 gives local governments authority to regulate data center noise and emissions. These bills represent California's comprehensive approach to data center regulation.

South Carolina HB 4583, the South Carolina Data Center Responsibility Act (bipartisan: Reps. Cromer, Gilreath, Oremus, Chumley, White, Reese, Lawson, Atkinson), introduced January 13, 2026, mandates closed-loop cooling systems requiring zero net water withdrawal and net zero wastewater discharge, and prohibits data centers from extracting groundwater or using municipal water for cooling. As of early 2026, the bill remains in the House. Companion bills include S 867 (data center development), H 902 (data centers), and H 724 (commercial data center water usage report). Part of a broader SC legislative push as the state hosts billions in Google data center investment. VERIFIED 2026-05-26: Did not advance before South Carolina's regular session adjourned May 14, 2026 (carryover possible in the 2-year biennium). The SC Senate did pass budget provisos requiring annual data center water-use reporting ($10k/day penalty) and an economic-incentive moratorium.