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Datacenter Crisis Coalition: Protecting Lake Tappan for Future Generations

Join us in combatting the Orangetown datacenter proposal, which irresponsibly aims to concentrate more datacenters right next to the Lake Tappan reservoir, raising concerns about the datacenter environmental impact.

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Datacenter Crisis Coalition: Protecting Lake Tappan for Future Generations

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Orangetown to consider data center moratorium

Coalition Thanks Community, Praises Data Center Moratorium -- Pushes Back on DataBank II exemption

June 11, 2026 | NY/NJ DataCenter Crisis Coalition

On the evening of June 9, 2026, the Orangetown Town Board took a meaningful step forward in confronting the data center crisis facing our community and region. Faced with a packed room of engaged residents and a chorus of voices from across the NY/NJ region, the Board voted to hire AKRF -- a highly respected and capable environmental consulting and planning firm -- to study potential zoning changes governing data centers in Orangetown.

We applaud this decision. It is an acknowledgment by the Town Board of what this Coalition, and hundreds of our neighbors, have been saying for months: Orangetown's zoning rules were written for a different era, and they desperately need to be revisited.

We also want to express our deep and heartfelt gratitude to everyone who showed up, spoke up, submitted comments, and stood with us. Your presence matters. Your voices are being heard. This fight is yours as much as it is ours.

What the Town Board Did -- and What It Didn't Do!

The Board's decision to retain AKRF and study a potential moratorium on new data centers is a positive development. It signals that the Board recognizes the urgency of the moment and the inadequacy of the current zoning framework.

But there is an important gap in what was approved: DataBank Phase II was explicitly carved out of the moratorium study! Supervisor Kenny has stated publicly that the Town Board lacks the legal authority to include an existing pending application like DataBank Phase II in a moratorium. We respectfully but firmly disagree.

The media has taken notice of this growing fight. News 12 Westchester covered Tuesday night's meeting, reporting that environmental concerns over data centers are intensifying in Orangetown and that the debate comes amid a statewide moratorium bill raising questions about whether DataBank's Phase II expansion should be allowed to move forward.

You can watch News 12's full report here: Data Center Fight Grows In Orangetown As Moratoriums Loom -- News 12 Westchester.

The Rockland County Business Journal also covered the Board's action, noting that a future moratorium, as currently contemplated, would not impact the DataBank application: Town of Orangetown Hires Consultant To Study Data Center Moratorium -- Rockland County Business Journal.

lohud / the Journal News examined the central question head-on, asking whether any pause the Town enacts would actually halt DataBank's existing plans: Orangetown Weighs Data Center Pause. Will It Halt Existing Plans? -- lohud / Journal News.

The Rockland County Times, covering local news since 1888, reported on the strong community turnout in support of the proposed moratorium: Data Center Moratorium Proposed in Orangetown -- Rockland County Times.

The Law Is On Our Side: Why DataBank Phase II Can and Should Be Included

"The Vested Rights Standard"

At the June 9 meeting, Coalition member David Rosen addressed the Town Board directly on this issue. His remarks on the vested rights standard were informed by the legal analysis of the Coalition's land use attorney, Clifford Davis, Esq. of White Plains, NY. As Rosen stated to the Board:

"A moratorium's entire purpose is to give a municipality breathing space -- to maintain the status quo while it thinks through the rules carefully. The status quo on DataBank Phase II is clear: no approvals have been granted, no building permits have been issued, and not one shovel of authorized construction has turned. Nothing has been built.

The Town Board always has the right to change its laws before the shovel goes in the ground. That is the foundational principle of New York's vested rights doctrine -- a developer acquires legal protection only upon substantial construction and substantial expenditures. DataBank has done neither on Phase II."

Former Town Attorney, James K. Riley, Esq., Submits Statement to the Board

A powerful legal voice was also heard at the June 9th meeting. James K. Riley, a former Town Attorney for the Town of Orangetown and community resident of Pearl River, submitted a formal statement to the Town Board. As he could not be at the meeting, Heather Hurley of CUPON read his statement to the Board. It outlined in precise legal terms why the Town Board has both the right and the power to include pending applications in any moratorium it enacts.

Mr. Riley's statement identified a critical flaw in the moratorium resolution as drafted. The proposed language limiting the moratorium to "further permit applications" was, in his words, "much too narrow" and would impose "a self-inflicted legal strangulation of the land use rights and powers which the Town is otherwise entitled to exercise under law."

Mr. Riley proposed the following alternative language:

"The Town Board is desirous of considering a moratorium, which would be established by local law, against the acceptance of any further permit applications, or continuation of the planning board land use review process of any permit applications that are now pending or under consideration in the land use review process for either new Data Centers or for any proposed expansion of existing Data Centers."

Mr. Riley grounded his position in controlling New York precedent. The landmark case Ellington Construction Corp. v. Zoning Board of the Incorporated Village of New Hempstead (New York's highest court, 77 N.Y.2d 114, 1990) establishes that a developer's rights vest only when approval has been secured, a building permit has been issued, and the applicant has "undertaken substantial construction and made substantial expenditures" prior to any amendment of the zoning code. DataBank Phase II has none of these. No permit. No construction. No expenditures.

Mr. Riley also warned that the Board must establish a firm and urgent timeline for AKRF's work: "When is the planning firm supposed to report back to the Town Board? A very short time period should be established." He noted that as of the date of his statement, more than 100 moratoriums on data centers have been established across the country. Orangetown must proceed, in his words, "with all deliberate speed."

The Magee Case Does Not Apply

The Supervisor has pointed to the Town's experience in the Magee case as a reason for caution. In that case, the Town revoked an already-issued permit after a developer had spent over four million dollars in actual construction -- footings poured, foundations built. The Court found the revocation was done for political reasons and awarded over five million dollars in damages.

That case has nothing to do with DataBank Phase II. Magee stands for the proposition that you cannot pull the rug out from under a developer who has already built and spent in reliance on a valid permit. It says nothing -- nothing -- about enacting a moratorium before a permit is ever issued. DataBank Phase II has no permit, no construction, and no expenditures. Using Magee as a reason not to act turns that case completely on its head.

The Comprehensive Plan Demands Action

Less than three years ago, this very Town Board adopted its own Comprehensive Plan -- developed with professional consultants, including AKRF. That plan is explicit: data centers are not a permitted use in the LIO district, and Conditional Use regulations would need to be adopted before they ever could be.

This Board did that work. This Board made that finding. The current Town Code contains no Conditional Use regulations for data centers. To carve DataBank Phase II out of the moratorium and allow its application to proceed unchecked is to evade and ignore this Board's own Comprehensive Plan -- and to make a mockery of the extensive public process that produced it.

The Fight Continues -- Mark Your Calendar

The Town Board's action is a beginning, not an end. The real test comes at the Orangetown Planning Board, where DataBank Phase II is still seeking approval.

📅 Next Critical Hearing: Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Orangetown Town Hall
26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962
Town Board Meeting Room (the larger room)

We need every seat filled. This is the decisive moment in the Planning Board process. DataBank's attorneys have already attempted to mischaracterize the record. The Town's own planning consultant, AKRF, has identified 18 unresolved issues and declined to recommend a Negative Declaration. The environmental case against this project is strong -- but only if the community shows up to support it.

Please share this with your neighbors, your networks, and anyone who cares about the future of Orangetown and the surrounding region. Post it. Forward it. Talk about it.

Together, we are making a difference. The fight continues.

The Fight Continues -- Mark Your Calendar

📅 Next Planning Board Hearing*:

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Time: 7:00PM

Place: Orangetown Town Hall
26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962
Town Board Meeting Room (the larger room)

*As dates can change, please check back here or on the Orangetown.com website to confirm.

TWO critical MEETINGS coming up that YOU need TO ATTEND

As many of you know, DataBank asked the Orangetown Planning Board to cancel the last hearing related to their massive data center expansion -- just hours prior to the meeting -- originally scheduled for the evening of May 27th. We don't know the precise reason for the cancellation but suspect that Databank was -- and is -- concerned about correspondence that the Board received from their environmental consultant and the Rockland County Planning Board that clarified their continued significant concerns about the proposed project.

YOUR VOICE AND PRESENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

We have important news -- and two upcoming meetings where your physical presence can make a real difference. Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny posted a message on Facebook trying to reassure residents about the proposed DataBank Phase II expansion. We appreciate her acknowledgment of community concerns. But several key claims in her post deserve a direct response, because they affect everything. She stated that this project is "permitted under existing zoning" based on a determination made back in 2009. The facts on the ground tell a very different story.

THE ZONING ARGUMENT DOESN'T HOLD UP -- WHERE IS THE DOCUMENT?

In 2009, a town building official allegedly decided that a data center could be a permitted use in this zone. But we believe the community is entitled to ask a straightforward question: where is that determination in writing? Zoning decisions in New York have serious legal consequences -- they affect property rights, environmental review, and what gets built in our neighborhoods. Municipalities do not change land use permissions based on verbal representations. There must be a written record. We are not aware that any such written determination has ever been produced or placed in the public record for this project. And critically, in 2009 there was no DataBank application -- so no official could have made a determination about this specific project.

But even setting that aside: what DataBank is proposing today is nothing like what existed in 2009. This is a massive industrial expansion -- with enormous diesel backup generators, heavy-duty cooling equipment, and construction that would permanently destroy wetlands directly next to the Lake Tappan drinking water reservoir that serves hundreds of thousands of people in our region. More importantly, in October 2023 -- just three years ago -- the Town Board adopted a new Comprehensive Plan for Orangetown's future. That plan was developed with the Town's own expert consultants, including AKRF, the same firm the Planning Board retained to evaluate this application. That Comprehensive Plan is explicit: data centers are not a permitted use in the LIO zoning district, and the Town would need to adopt new Conditional Use standards before they ever could be. The current Town Code has no such standards. Rockland County's formal planning review flagged serious unresolved legal and zoning issues and issued 27 required modifications. And AKRF itself confirmed that data centers are not a permitted use under current zoning.

THE RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

So the record as it stands today is this: the Town Board's own Comprehensive Plan says data centers are not permitted. The Town's own consultant says so. Rockland County says so. And there is no written determination from any building official that this specific project is a permitted use. A 17-year-old unwritten administrative position -- if it even exists -- cannot override the Town's own current Comprehensive Plan.

THE TOWN'S OWN EXPERT JUST CONTRADICTED DATABANK'S ATTORNEY -- IN WRITING

Here's where it gets important. The Planning Board hired AKRF -- a respected, independent environmental consulting firm -- to evaluate this project. DataBank's attorney recently submitted a letter to the Planning Board claiming that AKRF had confirmed "the Applicant has addressed and mitigated all environmental concerns." That claim was false. And AKRF said so -- in a formal letter to the Planning Board, dated May 27, 2026. AKRF's letter states clearly that their review "does not confirm that the Applicant has addressed and mitigated all environmental concerns." In fact, AKRF identified 18 specific outstanding issues that still have not been adequately resolved -- covering wetlands, noise impacts on our neighborhood, energy use, land use, and natural resources. AKRF's conclusion: they cannot recommend a Negative Declaration for this project. In plain English, that means the Town's own expert says this project should not be cleared to proceed based on the information DataBank has provided.

Under New York State environmental law, the Planning Board only needs to find ONE potential significant environmental impact to require a full Environmental Impact Statement. AKRF has identified 18 unresolved issues! The law is clear about what the Board should do next. The Coalition believes there is enough evidence in the Board's review and on the record that the application should be turned down. However, in the event that the Board is not prepared to decline the application at this time, a full Environmental Impact Statement would require DataBank to fully disclose and justify every impact on our drinking water, our wetlands, our air quality, and the noise levels affecting our homes -- something they have not done.

A MORATORIUM WITH NO TEETH PROTECTS NO ONE

The Moratorium should include Databank Orangeburg

Supervisor Kenny also announced that at the June 9th Town Board meeting, the Board will consider imposing a moratorium on "new" data center applications while they review whether current zoning is adequate. Read that carefully: the Town Board is acknowledging that the zoning framework may need to be reconsidered. And yet in the same post, she argues the zoning is already settled for Databank's pending application. The moratorium as described would only apply to future applicants -- not to DataBank, which is already in the review process. We believe that is both legally unnecessary and wrong. Here is why.

The Town Board has the right and responsibility to set Zoning and Land Use

The normal purpose of a moratorium is to preserve the status quo while a municipality reviews its rules. The status quo on DataBank Phase II today is clear: no approvals have been granted, and no building permits have been issued. Under New York law, a developer acquires protected legal rights only when they have undertaken substantial construction and made substantial expenditures prior to a zoning change. DataBank has done neither on Phase II. Not one shovel of authorized construction on this project has turned. There is no legal barrier to including this application in the moratorium -- and every reason to do so. A moratorium that exempts the one project currently before our community is a moratorium with no teeth. It would allow DataBank to continue pursuing approval of a project that the Town's own Comprehensive Plan, its own consultant, and Rockland County have all called into question -- while future applicants are held to a higher standard. That is not equitable, and it is not what this community needs.

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW...

✅ ACTION 1 -- COME TO THE ORANGETOWN TOWN BOARD MEETING NEXT TUESDAY, June 9th

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM, Orangetown Town Hall, 26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY

Information shared was limited. It appears from the Supervisor's post that the Town Board will vote on whether to hire a planner and impose a moratorium on data center applications. We need a packed room. We need the Board to hear that the community wants a moratorium and insist it also covers DataBank Phase II -- not just future applicants. No approvals have been granted. There is no legal reason to exempt them. Show up. Bring a neighbor. The Board needs to see this community is paying attention.

✅ ACTION 2 -- E-MAIL THE ORANGETOWN PLANNING BOARD TODAY! E-Mail: landuseclerk@orangetown

You don't need to be an expert. Just tell them, in your own words, why you are concerned. A few sentences are enough. Every E-Mail becomes part of the official record that the Board must consider. Here are some points you might mention:

• The zoning basis for this project relies on a 2009 position that was never put in writing, predates this application entirely, and conflicts with the Town's own 2023 Comprehensive Plan • The Town's own hired consultant, AKRF, found 18 unresolved environmental issues and cannot support clearing this project • Under state law, just one unresolved environmental impact requires a full Environmental Impact Statement • Our drinking water reservoir, Lake Tappan, must be protected

✅ ACTION 3 -- SAVE THE DATE -- JULY 8TH -- ORANGETOWN PLANNING BOARD HEARING

📅 Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM Orangetown Town Hall -- Planning Board Hearing on DataBank Phase II, 26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY

This is the next scheduled hearing where the Planning Board will consider the DataBank expansion. We will be there with a strong coalition presence, and we will share more details on how to participate closer to the date. Please mark your calendar now.

Data center received millions in Rockland tax breaks!

Data center requested more financial assistance

CoreWeave, Inc. is an AI cloud-computing company and a major customer for Databank's Orangeburg data center. In separate approvals related to Databank's initial Orangeburg facility, the Rockland IDA has already granted CoreWeave and Databank tax benefits that may total as much as $58,000,000 dollars! CoreWeave had promised to create "12 full time equivalent jobs".

CoreWeave's new application related to the Orangeburg data center project asked for millions in additional financial assistance, and the IDA was about to consider this request.

Millions for incentives... or corporate "welfare"?

According to the Rockland IDA's website, it's "purpose is to develop economically sound commerce and industry by providing financial incentives and inducements that will result in business’ establishment, relocation to or expansion in Rockland County."

However, according to CoreWeave's own application to the IDA, "CoreWeave would likely have moved forward with the project without the Financial Assistance provided by the agency. This is because the market conditions and demand for Data Center capacity requires that we move forward expeditiously to secure the capacity necessary to meet customer needs prior to having all the project elements in place, including various incentives at times."

CoreWeave additional financial assistance "CANCELLED" after public criticism of $77,000,000 IDA data center deal

According to This Data Center Is Getting a $77 Million Tax Break to Create One Job , an article written by Colin Kinniburgh and published by the New York Focus on April 20, 2026, the tax break for JPMorganChase's data center expansion in Orangeburg, NY, is notable for being the largest per-job subsidy in the U.S. This project is expected to create just ONE permanent job in exchange for nearly $77,000,000 in tax breaks.

Shortly after this article was published, and just days before CoreWeave's public hearing, the IDA issued a Press Release related to the financial assistance application stating, "Due to information received from the Applicant [CoreWeave], the Agency will not be considering such additional financial aid at this time."

WE EXPRESS OUR THANKS TO THE "NEW YORK FOCUS" FOR THEIR EXCELLENT INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AND TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZED THE IDA FOR THESE DATA CENTER "FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE" PACKAGES! IT SHOWS THAT TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC OPINION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

PLEASE JOIN US IN PUSHING BACK!

Overwhelming opposition at the March 25th meeting

Supporters flooded the March 25th Orangetown Planning Board Meeting to say NO to Databank Phase II!

Following a Press Conference held by the Food & Water Watch organization in partnership with us, the Orangetown Building Department conference room was flooded with opposition to the Phase II proposed expansion to the massive, recently completed data center next to the Lake Tappan reservoir. (See a birds-eye view of the Databank campus to the right - Orange is built and running; Red is proposed.)

With over 120 people reported attending and roughly 30 seats setup for the public, the room was flooded with people standing up and listening in the hallway, many wearing their "SAVE LAKE TAPPAN" stickers. We continue to believe that this project, set next to a major reservoir serving hundreds of thousands of people is a potential danger to the community, the adjacent wetlands and wildlife. This, along with the massive electrical energy it consumes, is reason enough to deny the proposed expansion.

The Planning Board reviewed the potential environmental impact of the project and there were many areas that they deemed in the moderate or high category. Current law requires the Board to consider potential environmental impacts for projects of this scale. We asked the Board to deny the application or, at a minimum, require Databank to complete a full Environmental Impact Study.

For now, the Planning Board did not come to a decision. They told the applicant that they "had a lot of work to do" and the meeting was adjourned awaiting Databank's next step.

For an overview about the meeting, please go to The Footprint article of March 28th, 2026, Suburbanites Say No to Data Center Outside NYC . We'll add links to other articles in the coming days.

Thank you for your continued support!

DATABANK SUBMITS revised plan for major datacenter expansion

Join Our Movement - Fight against datacenter expansion by Lake Tappan!

Together, lets show them that this new plan is a "wolf in sheep's clothing"! While they now propose a smaller data center then their original Phase II plan, it appears to us that the real objective is to avoid a full Environmental Impact Study -- which we believe is crucial given the sensitivity of the area around Lake Tappan reservoir, an important water source.

Another 10 megawatts of power still significant - electric rates likely impacted

While they have reduced the amount of power they say they will be using to 10 megawatts. Together with their already built Phase I facility, 30MW is still a lot of power! So far, despite multiple requests, there is nothing in the project file that we have seen that show how they will get that much additional power and the impact it will have on NY and NJ Orange & Rockland electrical rates. Have you been asked to reduce your power consumption during a hot summer? Have you seen your electric bills go up? Well, with the number of data centers in Orangetown online or planned, I'd be concerned.

They still ask for a variance to be closer to Lake Tappan

This is a major regional water source. In our opinion, this type of development project should be farther away -- not closer. In addition, as a condition of building their current building, Databank had agreed to leave significant open parking spaces preventing them from building a Phase II. Now they want a "do over"! We believe this is "segmentation" in development terms, and the Planning Board should not permit it.

Diesel Generators positioned close to residences

While they have proposed a smaller data center, the layout of the campus shows their many diesel generators close to residences. We continue to be concerned about the noise and emissions from this many generators. Any development like this should require them to be on the corporate park side of the development if approved.

Over an acre of Wetlands still impacted

Their revised plan still calls for wetland disturbance and should not be permitted.

Please join us at the upcoming Planning Board meeting!

Strong community opposition at October 22, 2025 meeting

Thank you for your support at the October 22nd meeting!

For those of you who could attend the October 22nd Orangetown Planning Board meeting and the many people who sent opposition letters to the Board, thank you for your overwhelming support!

In addition to the vocal opposition from many New York and New Jersey residents, members of the Orangetown Planning Board also expressed their concern about the scale of the project, its huge electrical utilization and its potential impact on the community.

A recurrent theme: "With all of the potential risks, what is the benefit to the community?"

The Bi-State Datacenter Coalition and many speakers continued to advocate for the Board to disapprove of the project given our position that: (1) the LIO District is not properly zoned for data centers, and; (2) Databank had agreed, as a condition of receiving a variance for their current data center, to "land bank" around 700 parking spaces where they propose to build Phase II. In our view making their application non-compliant.

The Planning Board declared themselves "Lead Agency" for the review of the application. AKRF, the Board's outside consulting firm, assisted them in reviewing the Environmental Assessment Form Part 2. During this process, the Board identified many areas of potential moderate to high potential impact. Given the scale of the project, the environmental sensitivities of the site, and the multitude of unresolved issues, our view is that the Board must issue a "Positive Declaration" and require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Anything less would fail the "hard look" standard required under New York law.

The Datacenter Crisis Coalition continues to push back!

Our position is clear...

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS NEXT TO LAKE TAPPAN, serving water to tens of thousands of people and providing a natural habitat to wildlife and beautiful green space! The proposed site would also disturb Class 1 and Class 2 Wetlands as determined by the NYS-Department of Environmental Conservation.

NOT ZONED FOR DATACENTERS. We continue to emphasize that the LIO District -- where the proposed datacenter addition would be located is NOT zoned for datacenters. In fact, the Orangetown Comprehensive Plan approved by the Town Board explicitly shows this. The Town Board is the only body that has the legislative authority to add datacenters as a permitted use. THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD INSTRUCT THE PLANNING BOARD THAT IT CANNOT PROCEED WITH DATABANK'S APPLICATION UNTIL AND UNLESS THIS PERMITTED USE IS ADOPTED!

DATABANK AGREED NOT TO BUILD A PHASE II AS PROPOSED. In order to get approval for the first data center, by accepting the resolution for a Phase 1 approval, Databank essentially agreed NOT to build a Phase 2. The Planning Board Resolution allowing them to build their current datacenter stated plainly: “The applicant must understand that with the proposed land banked parking spaces, Phase II as formerly illustrated, cannot be constructed.” In January, when they brought Phase 2 to the Planning Board, Databank’s attorney clearly said to the Board that they cannot build Phase 2 without (and to paraphrase loosely) reneging on this agreement. The applicant accepted this condition and now wants a “do-over!” Well, perhaps we should dismantle the first building and start from scratch?

AKRF, a major environmental consulting firm hired by Orangetown, reported back to the Planning Board

At the Planning Board Meeting of July 23rd, a decision was made to hire AKRF to review the plans for this massive development. Our evaluation of AKRF’s October 1, 2025 report (see a copy in Downloads below) raises multiple red flags:

• Zoning Conflict:

o AKRF confirms that datacenters are not a" permitted us" in LIO.

o Phase 2 relies on a prior ZBA decision that was parcel-specific and tied to Phase 1’s parking—not a blanket use authorization.

• Segmentation & SEQRA:

o Phase 2 was dropped to accommodate land banked parking for Phase 1.

o Resuming Phase 2 without cumulative review constitutes segmentation, violating SEQRA.

o AKRF recommends a Positive Declaration, triggering a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

• New Variances Required:

o Parking shortfall

o Loading berth configuration

o Retaining wall height and setback

Our Conclusion of their report: AKRF does not support the zoning legitimacy of Phase 2. It calls for deeper environmental review and flags zoning inconsistencies.

Contact Us

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Orangetown Planning Board Meeting

The hearing on July 23rd was "packed" with opposition to the project!

Please accept our sincere thanks to the many people who attended the recent Planning Board meeting where Databank presented their proposal to build this massive extension to double their existing data center right next to Lake Tappan reservoir.

Special thanks to Mayor Tom Gallagher who personally attended and read the Old Tappan Town Board Resolution opposing this project, Mayor Danielle DiPaola of Emerson, NJ State Senator Holly Schepisi , NJ Assemblyman John V. Azzariti and the many other people that continue to support our opposition! The room was overflowing with opposition!

We'd also like to thank many of the members of the Planning Board for their thoughtful questions and deep concern over this complex and -- we believe -- dangerous proposal.

Our supporters talked about the environmental impact to the wetlands, the huge energy consumption, concern over fire safety and proximity to a major reservoir providing fresh water to hundreds of thousands. Several of the Board members clearly agreed with these concerns and the Board will now retain a consulting firm to assist them in better understanding the potential environmental impacts. Databank asked for a "continuation" of their application which, for now, is on hold for further review.

We were pleased that many of the Board members continued to express their skepticism about the “massive size” of this expansion plan. To get “Phase 1” approved, Databank had agreed to “land bank” hundreds of parking spaces and there was a clear understanding that a Phase 2 could not be built. Databank knew -- and knows -- that these spaces were -- and are -- in the same area that they are once again proposing to build Phase 2. Earlier this year, the Board asked Databank to consider reducing the size of their building. Yet they returned with a plan that is basically a mirror image of what they initially proposed during the Phase 1 deliberations. The Planning Board Resolution then stated plainly: “The applicant must understand that with the proposed land banked parking spaces, Phase II as formerly illustrated, cannot be constructed.” In January, when they brought Phase 2 to the Planning Board, Databank’s attorney clearly said to the Board that they cannot build Phase 2 without (and to paraphrase loosely) reneging on this agreement. The applicant accepted this condition and now wants a “do-over!” Well, perhaps we should dismantle the first building and start from scratch?

Without land-banked parking the building could never be “repurposed”. Granting Databank’s request to reduce required parking by 90% would not only put in question the integrity of the Board's approval process but would be a grave planning mistake. Computer technology is changing rapidly. In ten years – a lifetime in tech – these data centers may be obsolete. What happens then? Does it become another Rockland Psychiatric Center, abandoned buildings, left overgrown for many years – with limited parking and loading -- unsuitable for other uses?

In December last year, the Rockland County Planning Board unanimously rejected this proposal, again citing concerns over grid strain, wetlands destruction, and the lack of adequate fire-safety infrastructure. I am asking this Board not to ignore Rockland’s denial.

And this second phase is even larger than the first -- and even closer -- proposed to be within 79 feet (not even 100 feet as required) to Lake Tappan’s watershed property.

This site now houses a 146,000-square-foot behemoth, as tall as an average 5-story building, consuming an estimated 20 megawatts of electricity, which may be enough to power 20,000 average homes. The second data center will be similar, although Databank's public testimony and marketing material seemed to have "evolved". (The application and file for this project is missing meaningful written documentation related to the energy consumption of the site or dealing with the ability of the grid to handle it.) At this hearing, Databank management commented that -- with another data center and substation -- they would max out their power usage on their campus to 60 megawatts. If that is true, some sources suggest that this is enough to power 60,000 average homes. Rockland County only has 110,000 homes in total!

There is a question as to whether O&R can even power the project and as mentioned, it has yet to show this Board anything about its impact on the grid. How this extraordinary increase in energy consumption will impact residents – in the town or in the region. During peak periods will Databank be asked to reduce electric consumption to avoid a brownout – like many of us here have been asked in the past? Or have they explained how local and regional rates will increase due to extensive power demand from these huge facilities.

The Datacenter Crisis Coalition includes residents from both sides of the state line. The reservoir doesn’t recognize municipal boundaries. Neither does smoke, contaminated runoff, or electrical blackouts. Our region deserves good planning, full transparency, and leadership that keeps its promises.

We call on Orangetown’s Planning Board to remind the Applicant that they had already agreed that Phase 2 could not be built as proposed! Databank is making significant commercial use of their property and has even received significant financial assistance through the Rockland IDA. If they still insist on moving ahead with their application for a Phase 2, this Board should insist on a full and comprehensive environmental assessment - as our attorney outlined in his letter to the Board. Given the significant environmental impact, we trust that the Orangetown Planning Board can come to no other conclusion than rejecting Databank's application.

Please Protect Lake Tappan, Orangeburg and the entire region.

Databank's existing data center at 2000 Corporate Drive in Orangeburg, next to Lake Tappan reservoir

Rockland County Planning Department document reviewing Databank Orangeburg Phase 2 site plan.

Orangetown's push to attract datacenters:

Orangetown leadership is actively focused on attracting numerous datacenters to the area. While this strategy provides some local tax revenue, studies across the country have highlighted the hidden dangers of these facilities, particularly their datacenter environmental impact, which includes effects on the electrical grid, water consumption, and the environment. Moreover, the financial benefits of these projects can be overshadowed by the significant tax breaks frequently granted to datacenter companies and their customers, as well as the public costs associated with supporting new electrical or other utility infrastructure that are ultimately passed on to consumers.

For instance, Databank, a major private equity-funded datacenter company, has constructed a massive 146,000 square foot datacenter next to Lake Tappan. Lake Tappan, along with the other reservoirs it feeds, supplies fresh water to tens of thousands of residents in Northern New Jersey. Additionally, it contributes to the overall Hackensack River watershed system, which indirectly supports water needs in parts of Rockland County.

Now, Databank is proposing to build another massive datacenter on Lake Tappan along with a 72,000 sq ft power substation. To their credit, the Rockland County Planning Board reviewed this proposal and unanimously disapproved the application, citing concerns over the disruption of onsite wetlands, high levels of energy usage, lack of parking availability, and fire safety issues.

Despite the Rockland County Planning Board's previous disapproval of the first project—which is now completed—Orangetown Planning was willing to overlook these warnings and approved it anyway. Without public outrage and concern, a similar situation regarding the Orangetown datacenter proposal could occur again, potentially threatening efforts to protect Lake Tappan!

databank orangeburg phase 2 concerns...

Orangetown Planning Board

The Orangetown Planning Board has already overruled the Rockland County Planning Board's recommendation, leading to the construction of Databank's first building—a massive 146,000 square foot datacenter next to Lake Tappan. This decision raises concerns about the datacenter's environmental impact, and they could do that again with the current Orangetown datacenter proposal to protect Lake Tappan.

Critical Water Source

Orangetown Planning Board

The reservoir is a vital drinking water resource for tens of thousands of New Jersey residents and deserves special protection, especially in light of the proposed Orangetown datacenter, which could significantly impact the local environment. Datacenters often use substantial amounts of water to help cool their servers, raising concerns about the datacenter environmental impact on our valuable resources. It’s crucial that we take steps to protect Lake Tappan and ensure its sustainability.

Wetlands & Wildlife

Orangetown Planning Board

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

The impact on the diverse wildlife surrounding the reservoir and wetland areas, including the protected bald eagles, raises concerns regarding the datacenter environmental impact. For the Orangetown datacenter proposal, Databank intends to build directly in an area designated as a protected wetland, which could threaten efforts to protect Lake Tappan.

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

The datacenters, including the proposed Orangetown datacenter, will consume massive electrical power on an already overburdened electrical grid. What happens during peak demand? Recent major increases in energy bills have, in part, been attributed to the explosive growth and demand by datacenters, raising concerns about their environmental impact and the need to protect Lake Tappan.

Increased Fire Risk

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Major Residential Impacts

Given the large concentration of computers and electrical equipment, fires pose a significant concern in datacenters. In the event of a fire, only part-time, volunteer local firefighters are available to manage these potentially toxic situations. Additionally, the high-security nature of a datacenter limits access and egress, which is a crucial factor to consider, especially in light of the Orangetown datacenter proposal and the need to protect Lake Tappan from any environmental impact.

Major Residential Impacts

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Major Residential Impacts

These datacenters, part of the Orangetown datacenter proposal, are situated close to residential neighborhoods and will significantly alter the character of the area. Each datacenter building has a massive footprint and stands over 40 feet tall. Additionally, the datacenter environmental impact includes noise pollution from backup generators in the open equipment yards and the large number of air conditioning units necessary to cool the equipment, which raises concerns for residents wanting to protect Lake Tappan.

Datacenter Crisis Coalition: Protecting Lake Tappan for Future Generations

Datacenter Crisis Coalition: Protecting Lake Tappan for Future Generations

Orangetown to consider data center moratorium

Coalition Thanks Community, Praises Data Center Moratorium -- Pushes Back on DataBank II exemption

What the Town Board Did -- and What It Didn't Do!

The Law Is On Our Side: Why DataBank Phase II Can and Should Be Included

"The Vested Rights Standard"

Former Town Attorney, James K. Riley, Esq., Submits Statement to the Board

The Magee Case Does Not Apply

The Comprehensive Plan Demands Action

The Fight Continues -- Mark Your Calendar

The Fight Continues -- Mark Your Calendar

The next Orangetown Planning Board meeting is scheduled for

notice about meetings

TWO critical MEETINGS coming up that YOU need TO ATTEND

YOUR VOICE AND PRESENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

THE ZONING ARGUMENT DOESN'T HOLD UP -- WHERE IS THE DOCUMENT?

THE RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

THE TOWN'S OWN EXPERT JUST CONTRADICTED DATABANK'S ATTORNEY -- IN WRITING

A MORATORIUM WITH NO TEETH PROTECTS NO ONE

The Moratorium should include Databank Orangeburg

The Town Board has the right and responsibility to set Zoning and Land Use

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW...

✅ ACTION 1 -- COME TO THE ORANGETOWN TOWN BOARD MEETING NEXT TUESDAY, June 9th

✅ ACTION 2 -- E-MAIL THE ORANGETOWN PLANNING BOARD TODAY! E-Mail: landuseclerk@orangetown

✅ ACTION 3 -- SAVE THE DATE -- JULY 8TH -- ORANGETOWN PLANNING BOARD HEARING

Data center received millions in Rockland tax breaks!

Data center requested more financial assistance

Millions for incentives... or corporate "welfare"?

CoreWeave additional financial assistance "CANCELLED" after public criticism of $77,000,000 IDA data center deal

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. - Robert Swan

Overwhelming opposition at the March 25th meeting

Supporters flooded the March 25th Orangetown Planning Board Meeting to say NO to Databank Phase II!

DATABANK SUBMITS revised plan for major datacenter expansion

Join Our Movement - Fight against datacenter expansion by Lake Tappan!

Another 10 megawatts of power still significant - electric rates likely impacted

They still ask for a variance to be closer to Lake Tappan

Diesel Generators positioned close to residences

Over an acre of Wetlands still impacted

Please join us at the upcoming Planning Board meeting!

Strong community opposition at October 22, 2025 meeting

Thank you for your support at the October 22nd meeting!

The Datacenter Crisis Coalition continues to push back!

AKRF, a major environmental consulting firm hired by Orangetown, reported back to the Planning Board

Contact Us

Orangetown Planning Board Meeting

The hearing on July 23rd was "packed" with opposition to the project!

Orangetown's push to attract datacenters:

databank orangeburg phase 2 concerns...

Orangetown Planning Board

Orangetown Planning Board

Orangetown Planning Board

Critical Water Source

Orangetown Planning Board

Orangetown Planning Board

Wetlands & Wildlife

Orangetown Planning Board

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Increased Fire Risk

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Major Residential Impacts

Major Residential Impacts

Impact on Electric Grid and Rates

Major Residential Impacts

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We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

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Please ask your family, friends and neighbors to join us!

www.DatacenterCrisis.org

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