Sherrill proposes tougher data-center rules as Vineland faces backlash

The question for Cumberland County is whether New Jersey will finally give host towns real leverage when a data center comes calling, or whether developers will keep most of the upside while local residents absorb the noise, utility strain and land-use pressure.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill moved that debate to Trenton on May 27, unveiling a four-part plan that would require fair-share energy rules, more transparency on electricity and water use, stronger community benefits agreements, and good-paying jobs with union labor and prevailing wages. Sherrill said the facilities should “pay their own way” instead of shifting grid costs onto residents.

That message lands hard in Vineland, where the DataOne project has become a live test case for what a large AI facility can mean on the ground. The site is tied to Nebius Group and a $17 billion deal with Microsoft, and WHYY described it as a hyperscale 350-megawatt AI data center. Some reporting says the facility could employ more than 200 permanent full-time workers, but local opposition has focused on what those jobs will cost the surrounding neighborhood.

Residents have complained about a persistent low-frequency hum, and the Cumberland County Department of Health said it responded to complaints and visited the area to measure sound levels. In March, about 100 people turned out for a protest in Vineland, and another rally at Giampietro Park drew more than 100 attendees. Two neighbors filed a lawsuit over noise concerns in late May, pushing the dispute from planning-board meetings into court.

Vineland’s planning board also postponed a special meeting on the project’s second phase from March 26 to May 28, a sign of how contentious the approval process has become. That phase has been described as nearly one million square feet and includes a power generation building, a chiller building, an administration building, a natural gas tank and related site improvements.

Sherrill’s proposal comes as New Jersey already offers a powerful incentive package for the industry. The Next New Jersey Program - AI can provide up to $500 million in tax credits, and eligibility requires at least $100 million in capital investment and 100 new full-time jobs. For Cumberland County, that raises the central issue: whether state policy will now demand more from data centers before they receive the benefits, or whether communities like Vineland will continue to shoulder the costs after the deal is signed.