Police Will Not Elaborate On Threats To Limerick Area Data Center Projects

LIMERICK TOWNSHIP, PA — Police in Limerick have declined to provide comment or any elaboration on the threats that officials said data center projects in the area received last month, leading the township to move future hearings on related projects to a much smaller venue.

Officials say the move from the Spring-Ford High School Auditorium to the township municipal building, announced last month, was needed for security reasons.

But when repeatedly pressed on the nature of the threats, whether they were made against the companies behind the proposals or against the residents who oppose data centers, and whether any arrests have been made, authorities have refused comment.

It's also not clear if the threats were related to a specific project or were just connected to the region at large.

Critics of data centers, meanwhile, say there's a very good reason that developers would want future meetings at a smaller site: less space for public crowds to voice their disapproval.

Enormous, bipartisan public opposition has already resulted in the withdrawal or rejection of numerous data center plans around the area. Projects in Plymouth Township and East Whiteland, among others, were withdrawn by developers in recent months before they reached a critical vote.

It's not clear why details on the new threats in Limerick have not been disclosed by authorities. The initial notice was vague.

"Based on recent online threats received regarding the proposed Data Center projects, a security risk-assessment has taken place," Limerick Township shared in a notice Friday morning.

The next conditional use hearing on a data center project is scheduled for May 11.