Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia \u2014 Residents of Hazle Township, Pennsylvania,\nin the United States, were offered an attractive deal: each household\nwas promised US$10,000, or about Rp154 million, if they agreed to the\nconstruction of a huge data-centre facility in the area.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, local residents unanimously chose to reject the offer.\nProject Hazelnut, being developed by NorthPoint Development, plans to\nbuild a data-centre complex covering more than 1,300 hectares.<\/p>\n
To advance the construction plan, the developer had set out a series\nof major commitments. These included a cash incentive of Rp154 million\nper household, Rp231 billion for community needs such as education and\npublic facilities, more than 2,000 jobs, and a pledge to preserve 1,100\nhectares of forest.<\/p>\n
Although nearly 17% of residents live below the poverty line, the\noffer was rejected. Many residents described it as resembling a\nbribe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat money is a drop in the ocean compared with the losses we will\nsuffer,\u201d said Ed Negra, a resident who also owns a small business. \u201cOur\nproperty values will plummet. If this isn\u2019t a bribe, I don\u2019t know what\nis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another resident, Brian Malloy, added: \u201cWe are not selling our home\nenvironment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The opposition is not without reason. In the nearby small town of\nArchbald, plans for six data-centre campuses have provoked residents\u2019\nanger. The facilities would occupy up to 14% of the town, drain\nelectricity supplies, push up energy bills and generate noise around the\nclock.<\/p>\n
The town council that approved the plans was subsequently voted out\nby residents.<\/p>\n
Hazle Township residents fear that the enormous demand for\nelectricity will raise bills for everyone, while cooling systems running\n24 hours a day will create constant noise. They are also concerned that\nwater used for cooling could affect local supplies and that property\nprices could plunge because of the proximity to industrial activity.<\/p>\n
Residents\u2019 concerns have intensified because the approval process is\nbeing accelerated. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro placed the project\nin a fast-track programme, shortening the time required to secure\npermits.<\/p>\n
Community opposition in various locations is now a real risk for\ntechnology giants. According to a Reuters report, 75 data-centre\nprojects faced organised local opposition in the first quarter of 2026\nalone. The total investment at risk amounts to US$130 billion, or about\nRp2,000 trillion.<\/p>\n
Investors are beginning to realise that building AI infrastructure is\nnot just about electricity and cables. It also requires local\nconsent\u2014and money cannot always buy it.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-reject-data-centre-turn-down-rp154-million-per-household-1792903821", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }