CLINTON TOWNSHIP, PA — On Wednesday, September 9, after six months of meetings, the Clinton Township Board of Supervisors officially rejected a 700-acre data center project proposed by Linde Corporation. 

The proposed plan was estimated to cost $6 billion, house 20 data center buildings and use an estimated 40,000 gallons of water a day for sewer for the data center campus. 

During a Wednesday meeting held prior to the board of supervisors' meeting, the planning commission recommended that the board deny the application, citing missing erosion and sediment control details and missing details for an auxiliary water building. 

Shortly after the planning board’s recommendation, during the board of supervisors meeting, a request for an extension for consideration of the project was addressed. Linde Corp made the request for the extension. Prior to the extension request, the board had a 90 day period to vote on the accepted plan or else it would be approved.

Interim supervisor Ken Coles asked Linde Corp. representatives when they began the process of applying for the proposed project.

”It would have been mid April of this year,” the representative said.

Coles made a motion to deny the extension, and it was passed. 

Before a decision was made on the data center application, attendees were invited to make comments.

Attendee Jim Parker took to the podium and cited a CNBC article published that morning of being of relevant concern. The story states that Anthropic alignment lead Evan Hubinger posted on X that he fears AI has over a 10% chance of killing all humans within the next decade.

“Do I live for 10 more years?” Parker asked.  

The board also voted on whether to accept a modification to the Subdivision and Land Ordinance (SALDO) amendment and finalize it. The SALDO amendment lists requirements for data centers in regards to noise, light and water to protect existing infrastructure, such as residential areas.

Failure to meet those requirements of the SALDO was the reason the board rejected Linde Corp’s application on Wednesday. While the data center specific SALDO amendment does not apply to this project, as it was passed after the project was accepted to review, the preexisting SALDO had its own requirements that the project failed. 

Coles asked the township’s engineer and attorneys in attendance whether the organization had fulfilled the requirements. The engineer and the attorneys all denied Linde Corp’s fulfillment of the SALDO amendment.

“I find it effectively listing the deficiencies that are in that ordinance with respect to this planet,” interim solicitor Ronald Bugaj said about the proposed project.

A motion was then passed to reject the data center application.

As the crowd erupted in applause, Coles had a message for attendees.

"In my opinion, this is not the board’s decision,” he said. “You have to understand that we’re a nation of laws. Please keep in mind, we have to abide by the laws and sometimes the public isn’t aware of those laws.”

“We as township supervisors heard you [and] we understand you,” Coles said. 

Editor's note: A name in the article has been corrected as of 11 a.m. on September 11, 2026.