Dear Planners and Planning Commission, Below, I misspoke when I stated that large load industrial centers (such as data centers) should be at least 1500 feet from facilitiies because I have just read an article that shows people in schools and homes 1 mile from such centers still suffer from the effects of noise, vibration, and exhaust. Moreover, some large data centers are using generators without permits and violating local and federal laws doing so but are facing no consequances. I propose any such centers be required to be at least 5 miles from any schools, hospitals, homes, for occupied buildings. Furthermore, they must be held accountable and their owners severely punished if they use generators without permits to do so! Thank you. See link and excerpts. Dr. Elizabeth O'Halloran https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/27/new-jersey-vineland-datacenter- permits "Located roughly a mile from two schools, the site’s tractor-trailer-size generators emit substantial amounts of health-harming air pollution linked to asthma, heart attacks and even premature death. ... In Vineland, DataOne originally planned for more than 30 Bergen gas-burning engines, which are commonly used to propel cruise ships. The NJDEP, however, found multiple deficiencies in DataOne’s air permit application for the engines, according to public records reviewed by Floodlight. DataOne withdrew the application in May and instead now plans to rely on an array of Bloom fuel cells capable of producing 300MW. Though powered by gas, fuel cells use a combustion- free electrochemical process to generate electricity and result in far less health-harming air pollution than Bergen engines. However, the fuel cells still produce large amounts of carbon dioxide, and a Bloom official testified that, if completed, they could emit more than 2bn pounds of the climate-warming gas every year. Until the fuel cells are operational, however, the facility is relying on the unpermitted gas generators, the first of which appear to have been turned on in October, according to maintenance logs. It’s unclear how long the equipment has been operational, but thermal drone footage captured by a data intelligence company appears to show 25 of the unpermitted gas generators operating in late June. Local residents have complained of a pervasive humming noise coming from the datacenter for months, sparking a class-action lawsuit in New Jersey federal court over noise pollution that many suspect is linked to the generators. Andrew and Stevi Groetsch live less than a mile from the site and say the noise has woken them in the middle of the night and often disturbs bedtime stories with their kids." “It’s just constant. It never goes away,” Andrew Groetsch said. The couple has complained about the noise since November and hope the NJDEP, the county and the EPA will “at least get that part of it shut down and put a closer eye” on the rest of the project.

Hello, Planners and Planning Commission. I appreciate your hard work on our comprehensive plan and on data center issues, I have reviewed a draft proposal sent to you by Brittany Anderson regarding data centers and zoning and regulations for data center approval in our county. In general, I support the draft she sent and agree with breadth of its requirements, but I believe that locating large load data centers at 1000 feet from various facilities is too short a distance and that at least 1500 feet should be required. I also believe that in our county we should require the following: no data center will be foreign-owned; every data center must comply with our state's clean energy goals; no data center will be given any tax incentives but should pay all taxes fully; that any data center must prove that its water use is in the public's interest, that water conservation technology is used, that water conflicts default in favor of community water use and not data center water use; that data centers should be required to pay a fee that is used to pay for water and energy use in low-income households of our county; that all data centers must not increase carbon emissions and prove annually that they did not; any data center must pay for its own grid buildout and grid interconnection costs and energy needs; that all data centers must use 100% renewable energy; that all data centers must have preventative measures in place to protect the electric grid from meltdown when switching from grid power to back-up power; that no data center will be approved administratively but must be required to seek and obtain approval with stringent legislative review and public hearings. Thank you. Dr. Elizabeth O'Halloran