A petition is circling to stop a data center from coming to Smithfield Township, but opposition won't matter.We're told it comes down to a municipality's ordinances. News3's Nicole Walters has the details:"The developer behind the Smithfield Gateway project presented the new plans to the East… Read More
Angry citizen from Pocono Lake speaks up at a Township Meeting, challenging the legality of the change in ordiance in Tobyhanna TWP, that changes one property owner's use of land that borders Pinchot Forest and The Thomas Darling preserve, to allow the use from a quarry to multiple data… Read More
A proposal that could bring data centers to part of the long-planned Smithfield Gateway development was discussed during a recent Smithfield Township Planning Commission meeting.Plans presented to the commission outline two proposed data center buildings, each about 125,000 square feet, along with… Read More
TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A zoning fight is growing in Monroe County: People who live there are pushing back after township supervisors approved a data center overlay district in Tobyhanna Township. Supervisors passed the ordinance in December on 520 acres at the Tarheel… Read More
The IssueBeing developed under the name: SMITHFIELD GATEWAY PROJECT East Stroudsburg, a peaceful and picturesque town in the heart of Pennsylvania, is shocked by plans for a massive data center being proposed right in our backyard. While technology and data centers are crucial for modern… Read More
"Over the past several months, our region has increasingly been targeted for large-scale data center development.While final approvals of any development lie with local governments under Pennsylvania law, I believe that legislative action at the state level is also appropriate to protect the… Read More
Penn State Extension is hosting two workshops designed to inform and empower county residents and policymakers. Workshops will be held on Wednesday, March 4, at the Pike County Training Center, 135 Pike County Blvd., Hawley. Registration links below.𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀,… Read More
Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF HEARING AND OF INTENTION TO ENACT PROPOSED ORDINANCE Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of Stroud Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 6:00 P.M., at the Stroud… Read More
The NEPA Drone Position...Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains are not empty land waiting to be filled. They are one of the few places left where forests, mountains, and small towns still define the landscape. From the air, that reality is obvious. And it is exactly why NEPA Drone is… Read More
The Pennsylvania survey was sponsored by RealClearPolitics Institute of News & Information (RCPINI).Perception of Artificial Intelligence in PAForty-eight percent of Pennsylvania residents think Artificial Intelligence will have more of a negative impact on the economy, while 25% think it will… Read More
TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP, MONROE CO. (WOLF) — Data centers could soon become a familiar sight across northeastern Pennsylvania. One Monroe County township is moving forward with a controversial zoning change that residents say threatens the area’s natural identity.Another meeting with a packed room, as… Read More
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that blocks states from enforcing their own regulations around artificial intelligence and instead aims to create a “single national framework” for AI.“This is an executive order that orders aspects of your administration to take decisive… Read More
The sketch plan proposes a future land development (LDP) to develop phases 1B, 2A, & 2B of Smithfield Gateway. Proposed improvements include two data center buildings (each with a 125,000 sq. ft. footprint), a power substation, a 110-room hotel, and two standalone restaurants. The project is… Read More
The Monroe County Data Center Model Ordinance is a zoning framework designed to guide municipalities in regulating data centers and their accessory uses across Monroe County, Pennsylvania.🏢 Purpose and ScopeThe ordinance provides a standardized template for local governments to amend their zoning… Read More
This summer has brought a flurry of activity from municipalities across the Poconos as they adopt new zoning ordinances to prepare for potential data center development. You can learn more about data centers here. The Poconos’ recent experience with rapid warehouse/distribution… Read More
Stop Senate Bill 939 and protect Pennsylvania's environment! Sign petition started by Teressa Marcinek: "I'd like to share an issue happening in Covington Township (near Scranton) that could affect not just locals, but the entire Pocono region.Senate Bill 939 would allow digital… Read More
Communities in the Poconos are planning ahead as proposals for data centers continue to pop up across the state. With data center proposals popping up around the state, townships in Monroe County are planning ahead for the future.Officials with Chestnuthill Township recently passed a new… Read More
By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed AssociationIf you thought warehouses were a plague on the landscape, give your township a call and ask what the plan is for data centers. Because they’re on their way. Right now, Tobyhanna Township is considering changes to their zoning ordinance… Read More
