Clinton Township, Wayne County
Linde Corporation proposed 20 data center buildings and two gas power plants on 682 wooded acres near Browndale in Clinton Township, Wayne County. Supervisors rejected the plans on September 9, 2026, and Linde is now in court arguing they were approved by default.
Clinton Township began updating its land development rules to address data centers in late 2025. Linde Corporation submitted its plans on April 30, 2026, and a crowd of 200 to 300 people filled a pole barn at the May 7 Planning Commission meeting, where formal review was put off. On May 29 the township's new interim solicitor, Ronald Bugaj, advised that the township's data center moratorium might not hold up in court. After resubmissions, the Planning Commission accepted the plans as complete in early July, starting a 90-day clock that ran to September 28. Supervisor Mark Klapotovsky resigned after a heated July 16 meeting and former supervisor Ken Coles was appointed in his place. Joint hearings followed on August 3, August 22 and August 26, when residents submitted a petition with about 500 signatures. The Planning Commission delayed its recommendation on September 2, then recommended denial on September 9, 2026, and the supervisors rejected the plans that night. Mey & Sulla filed a complaint against the township's new data center rules on October 6 and a land use appeal of the denial, and the township received both on October 13.
The plans estimate peak water demand of 840,000 gallons a day for the data center campus and 100,000 gallons a day for the power plants, to be supplied by Pennsylvania-American Water, with sewer service from the Lackawanna River Basin Sewer Authority.
Radio Catskill / The River ReporterThe plans include two natural gas power plants on site; the River Reporter's editor said each would generate roughly 1.3 to 1.4 gigawatts, with one tentatively set to start construction around 2028.
Radio CatskillThe campus would cover 682 wooded acres; Save Browndale Mountain's co-president said residents "couldn't bear to see the trees taken down on over 700 acres."
WBRE/WYOU 28/22 NewsLinde's Christopher Langel said each data center building would have about 10 to 15 employees per shift and each power plant 20 to 25.
WBRE/WYOU 28/22 NewsLeaders: Katie Zefran (co-president)
Tactics: Co-president Katie Zefran testified against the plans at the August 26, 2026 hearing; residents opposing the project submitted a petition with about 500 signatures and hired attorney Thomas Wyatt.
Co-president Katie Zefran said after the September 9 denial that she expects Linde to appeal, which it did in October.
Appeals the September 9, 2026 denial, arguing the 90-day review clock started when Linde applied on April 30, so the township's July 1 acceptance date was wrong, the deadline was missed and the plans are deemed approved; it also argues the deficiencies could have been fixed if the township had granted Linde's request for more time.
Linde Corporation v. Clinton Township · Pending; the township received it October 13, 2026 and voted to defendAlleges the township's new data center standards for noise, light and water belong in a zoning ordinance, unfairly single out data centers and would cause Linde irreparable harm if applied to its property and pending application.
Linde Corporation v. Clinton Township · Pending; the township has 20 days from October 13 to respondIn Pennsylvania, the local zoning ordinance sets the route. A conditional use is decided by the elected governing body (supervisors, commissioners or council). A special exception or variance, and an appeal of a zoning officer’s decision, go to the Zoning Hearing Board. Each is a public hearing on a record: affected neighbors can ask for party status, cross-examine witnesses, and appeal. Municipalities can also adopt data center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and press your municipality for a real ordinance. Pennsylvania municipalities cannot simply freeze applications, but a curative amendment under the Planning Code gives them a defined window to fix a defective ordinance.
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