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July 21, 2026: Essential Energy's engineer took the stand and, under cross-examination, conceded that nearly every element of the project remains undecided, including the final site plan, the specific generating equipment, and the plant's distance from the neighboring landfill. He also confirmed the geohazard study covering the site's historic mine workings relied only on old maps and records, with no borings or soil testing done to confirm whether the ground beneath the plant has actually collapsed as assumed. A resident's questioning revealed the plant qualifies as a new major pollution source under the federal PSD program, which requires it to install the best available emissions control technology, though what that technology will be still has not been decided. The report itself was handed to everyone only minutes before the witness testified, and the borough reserved its right to cross-examine him at the next hearing. The hearing is continued to Tuesday, August 18th at 5 PM.
Residents of the Valley, and especially Archbald, are facing an unprecedented wave of proposed industrial data center development that threatens our community's health, safety, quality of life, and long-term character.
We are a grassroots group of everyday people working hard to hold borough officials accountable and ensure our voices are heard in this process.