A data center could come to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

The so-called ‘Smithfield Gateway’ project was discussed by the Smithfield Township Planning Commission in mid-February, and plans show that it would be located south of Music Center Drive and north of Smithfield Lane. It will consist of two 250,000 sq ft (23,225 sqm) data centers.

Applicant documents show that the plan is linked to Legend Properties, a commercial real estate firm operating primarily in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area, but details about a potential end-user were not disclosed.

Although the project has yet to receive approval from the township, a petition against the data center has amassed more than 800 signatures at the time of writing.

Titled ‘Stop the massive data center in East Stroudsburg, PA’, the petition says that “while technology and data centers are crucial for modern communication, the scale of this project threatens to alter our community's landscape irreparably, impacting the environment, economy, and our daily lives.”

It goes on to mention concerns about a potential data center’s impact on the environment, noise and light pollution, as well as expressing scepticism about its economic benefits.

“We call upon the local government, city planners, and residents to protect East Stroudsburg from this unsustainable and invasive development,” reads the petition.

Stroudsburg is a city on the Delaware River located on Pennsylvania’s border with New Jersey.

Most of Pennsylvania’s data centers are located near Philadelphia, the state’s largest city. DataCenterMap does not show any campuses situated near Stroudsburg.