Data Center Discussion Requires Accuracy, Transparency Over Misinformation

In a recent rebuttal to concerns about a proposed data center in Clarion County, local resident Kevin Johnson challenged what he describes as misinformation surrounding the project’s potential impacts on the community.

Johnson, who claims extensive experience with data centers worldwide, addressed a previous letter to the editor that had called for environmental and health impact studies before proceeding with the facility. “I would call it utterly reckless to spread misinformation to a community that deserves straight answers,” Johnson wrote.

Drawing comparisons to Alexandria, Virginia, Johnson described data centers there as “unremarkable buildings doing remarkable work.” He emphasized that these facilities typically blend into their surroundings, noting that drivers can pass numerous data centers in Alexandria without realizing what they contain. According to Johnson, these facilities operate silently from the exterior and have no discernible impact on local air quality.

Johnson further suggested that Alexandria’s thriving downtown business district—with its shops, restaurants, and pubs—has remained prosperous “precisely because of the data center industry presence there.” This assertion appears to link the technology sector’s economic contribution to broader community vitality, a connection he believes could benefit Clarion County.

The letter directly challenged several technical claims from the previous correspondence. Johnson disputed assertions about noise levels, stating that many data centers don’t reach the cited 85-96 decibel levels even inside their facilities. “For perspective, a typical rock concert registers between 110 and 120 decibels,” he noted, dismissing concerns about external noise pollution.

Johnson was particularly critical of claims regarding cooling emissions, characterizing them as “flat-out wrong.” He rejected the assertion that evaporative cooling systems release nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, explaining these are combustion byproducts from diesel generators—an entirely separate system. He also questioned the claim that chemical vapors could travel “100 miles or more,” stating that “no credible source exists” for such assertions.

The rebuttal addressed mentions of Legionnaires’ disease, arguing that the risk of Legionella bacteria exists in virtually all HVAC systems, including those in commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels, and decorative fountains. Johnson contended that singling out data centers for a commonly managed risk was misleading and designed to “stoke undue fear.”

A significant portion of Johnson’s argument centered on the regulatory framework governing data center development. He listed multiple oversight mechanisms including “EPA air quality standards, NPDES water discharge permits, state environmental review, OSHA workplace requirements, ASHRAE cooling tower guidelines, and noise ordinances,” which he claimed were ignored in the previous letter.

“The letter reads as though building a data center is the Wild West. The truth is the opposite,” Johnson wrote, describing data center development as “one of the most heavily regulated, carefully engineered, and collaboratively planned undertakings in modern infrastructure.”

The proposed data center represents a potential economic catalyst for Clarion County, which like many rural areas, faces challenges in attracting new investment and employment opportunities. Data centers typically create both construction jobs and permanent technical positions, while generating significant tax revenue for local governments.

Johnson concluded by emphasizing the economic potential of the project. “New jobs, tax revenue, and economic growth do not come along every day for Clarion County,” he wrote, advocating for “honest and informed discussion, not scare tactics.”

As the debate continues, Clarion County residents and officials will need to weigh both the economic benefits and potential environmental impacts of the proposed facility—a balancing act familiar to many communities navigating the expansion of digital infrastructure in rural America.