Plans for a large-scale data center have been unveiled for Greene County, and all the keyboard warriors have jumped to conclusions that are false or unknown, spreading fear and distrust among communities and residents. This article will provide known details of the proposed Project Hummingbird and mitigation opportunities for individual and community concerns.
The Site
The Robena Coal Refuse Disposal Area is situated along the Monongahela River adjacent to Alicia. Although coal mining operations at the Robena Coal Mine ceased in 1983, prep plant operations continued until 2007, when most of the equipment and buildings were removed from the property. The conveyor belt, coal storage silo, one rectangular building, and the loadout equipment remained on site until 2017 due to ongoing surface mining operations.
In January 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development published a redevelopment “playbook” that offers a selection of opportunities for the Robena brownfield. This playbook presents recommended reuse strategies, includes useful site data and detailed market information, and offers three potential future uses: Industrial/Manufacturing, Commercial/Distribution, and Renewable Energy Generation. The DCED playbook can be downloaded at (https://dced.pa.gov/download/robena-redevelopment/?wpdmdl=105434).
The Proposal
The Bryn Mawr-based Essential Utilities announced a partnership with energy supplier International Electric Power of Pittsburgh for the 1,400-acre project, anticipated to go online in early 2029.
International Electric Power is the developer purchasing property from Core Natural Resources, Inc. A successful merger of CONSOL Energy Inc. and Arch Resources, Inc. established Core Natural Resources, Inc., in 2025. This is a private land sale to a private land purchaser. The land is currently assessed as “Commercial” with no convenance, ordinance, or zoning at the site in Monongahela Township.
Last December, the Greene County Planning Board approved Phase 1 of the work, which covers grading and site reclamation to prepare for future uses. This positive vote indicates that the presented plan meets all legal requirements. The board’s authority does not extend to deciding whether a business or industry is desired; it only requires that it meet all established legal requirements.
Because the data center will be on a brownfield site, the company will have to follow Pennsylvania DEP and U.S. EPA guidelines to reclaim the environmental issues that currently plague the site, as outlined in the Robena Playbook.
Electrical power requirements will be satisfied by two on-site natural gas turbine power generators. Peak demand and two-hour backup power resiliency will be supplied through a Battery Energy Storage System supplied by Eos Energy Enterprises. The plan indicates the turbines will be fully enclosed, reducing noise to 55 dB at the fence line. Fifty-five dB is a moderate sound level, comparable to normal conversation or background music.
The specific design of the Hummingbird project will NOT increase utility bills for residents, as this project has its own on-site power and backup power. There are also federal (Rate Payer Protection Pledge) and commonwealth legislative initiatives to protect residents and small businesses from subsidizing energy costs driven by large data center operations.
Water from the Monongahela River will be utilized for cooling in the gas turbines and the data center. Eighteen million gallons of water will be used per day. For comparison, approximately 17 million gallons of water flow past the Robena site every minute. There will be NO water discharged back into the river.
Permanent job creation is not yet known; however, the project is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs each year over six years to build the plant, as well as 150-200 permanent data center jobs. There will be 40-50 permanent jobs necessary to operate the on-site gas turbines; IEP is working with career and technical schools to train workers for these turbines. Job creation is not a specific need in Greene County, as 62% of our workforce commutes into the county, and there are job vacancies in nearly every employment category.
More important than jobs are the taxable asset revenues generated by the value of capital investment in infrastructure. There is no reliable estimate available currently as IEP has not found an investor to develop and operate the data center portion of the project, but it will be substantially more tax revenue for the school district, township, and county than is generated at this time.
Property Owner Compensation
With decades of experience in the extraction industry, we know that landowners are compensated for damage to homes, structures, and land, as well as to pipeline rights-of-way or easements. Whether by the coal or natural gas industries, property owners are made “whole” for the loss of their property value. Landowners affected by other industries, such as data centers, for example, are also covered under Pennsylvania law for adequate compensation.
Compensation for industrial-induced depreciation of private property primarily occurs through inverse condemnation or civil nuisance lawsuits. Property owners may seek damages if industrial activity causes a measurable loss in property value by filing an inverse condemnation suit to recover lost market value (diminution in value). Owners can also sue for “nuisance” if an industry’s operations unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of their land, causing a decline in value. A real estate attorney specializing in PA property rights or a land-use planner is necessary to quantify the damages and initiate a claim.
Community Development Agreement
In addition to property owner compensation, Community Development Agreements or Community Benefit Agreements can facilitate the delivery of tangible benefits from large-scale investment projects. CDAs outline how the benefits of an investment project are intended to be shared with local communities. Through a negotiating position, a community can express how it would be involved in and benefit from the project. Such benefits include financial contributions, such as a royalty stream linked to production, and non-financial benefits, such as local employment opportunities and commitments to source goods and services from local providers.
Conclusion
Proposals of new industry activity in neighborhoods are emotional and significant inflection points in people’s lives. Well-thought-out and professionally presented debates and protests are healthy for community engagement. Fear-mongering and knowingly spreading false information is not. The truth remains important.
Energy spent as an engaged, educated advocate for fair compensation for community and individual property owners will have generational benefits. Sincere efforts to develop Community Development Agreements and build coalitions will better serve the community. A coalition of property owners focused on fair compensation for measurable loss of property value will increase leverage in negotiations with industry representatives.
