Vineland Planning Board Delays DataOne AI Data Center Hearing Until May

A persistent low-frequency hum that has drawn a Cumberland County health investigation is the backdrop to the latest twist in Vineland's contentious AI data center fight: the Planning Board postponed a special meeting, originally set for March 26, on the second phase of the DataOne/Nebius project, pushing the hearing to May.

The Vineland Planning Board postponed the special meeting, which had been scheduled for Thursday, on amended preliminary and final major site plan approval for the AI data center. DataOne CEO Charles-Antoine Beyney told WHYY News the hearing was postponed to give the company time to share its plans with the public, who have concerns about the potential for gas leaks or an explosion. The rescheduled date is likely May 28, which appears on the city's official Planning Board calendar as an alternate meeting date for 2026. The board convenes at City Council Chambers, 640 E. Wood Street, at 6:30 p.m., with a pre-meeting conference at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Caucus Room.

The postponement comes as the scope of phase two has grown more complicated. The facility plans to generate 85% of its own energy with natural gas through an on-site pipeline and is also seeking approval to house a liquefied natural gas tank in case access to the pipeline is ever interrupted. The company is seeking approval for a 1.5-million-gallon LNG storage tank. South Jersey Climate News reported that DataOne submitted a revised site plan to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that places LNG tanks close to protected wetlands areas, a change that is likely to require a new round of Planning Board approval.

The noise from the construction site, meanwhile, has become its own regulatory matter. The Cumberland County Department of Health is investigating complaints of "humming" noises coming from the area near the controversial proposed data center.

The hearing delay follows weeks of intensifying community opposition. Zac Landicini, who lives about three miles from the data center and has been opposing its development, said the facility raises concerns shared by many in the area. South Jersey Climate News noted that Landicini said while there was no community pushback at earlier Planning Board meetings, members of Sustain South Jersey and other opponents planned to attend future hearings to voice concerns.

More than 100 residents gathered at Giampietro Memorial Park earlier this month to rally against the project. The project in Vineland, already under construction, is being developed by DataOne for the Nebius Group to support AI infrastructure as part of a $17 billion deal with Microsoft. Congressional primary candidate Bayly Winder has publicly questioned whether any government officials or their families are financially benefiting from the project or the companies involved, and community members have demanded greater transparency from city hall and the developer.

The political atmosphere around the project has grown sharp. In February, Vineland City Council President Paul Spinelli threatened to sue members of the public at a council meeting, an episode that critics say exemplifies the breakdown of trust between residents and local officials.

The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance has formally demanded that the Planning Board and City Council withdraw all approvals for what it identifies as Project PBA-24-00022. In its letter, the alliance wrote that "the project's proposed 300-megawatt hyperscale data center would impose severe, cumulative harms on an already overburdened area." The group is calling for an immediate suspension of all permits pending a full, independent Environmental Impact Statement covering air quality, water use, stormwater management, noise, wetland impacts, grid strain, and electronic waste handling. It is also demanding that DataOne submit a detailed engineering design for zero-emission on-site power generation, specifically solar photovoltaic with battery storage, along with continuous stack monitoring and a binding emissions cap.

The city's mayor and City Council president have voiced support for the project and approved a tax exemption for the company as part of a five-year plan. DataOne and Nebius are both expected to pay millions of dollars in taxes while the data center is in operation and to create approximately 200 permanent on-site jobs in addition to construction positions.

"We are following, obviously, the most stringent regulations to ensure that it's 100% safe," Beyney said of the LNG storage plans. The company has also promised a vertical farm that would provide weekly meals sourced from facility waste heat to low-income Vineland residents, though opponents say those commitments do not offset the environmental and public health risks of a facility of this scale built in a residential agricultural neighborhood.

The original Planning Board approval was granted on June 26, 2024, with critics noting that little over a week's notice was given before that meeting, leaving residents limited time to review the proposal. Residents seeking to track the rescheduled May hearing or submit comment can contact Vineland Planning Board Supervising Planner Kathleen M. Hicks at 856-794-4000 ext. 4101 or Secretary Yasmin Ricketts at ext. 4088.