Continued environmental concerns around Wallingford data centers

Gotspace Data Partners LLC, the company seeking to build two data center campuses to Wallingford, is facing opposition from locals who argue that facilities in the area would cause detriment to the surrounding environment.

At a recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, those living in the area, pointed out that if the campuses are given the green light, both noise pollution and air pollution would be issues they would be faced with.

Responding to concerns around data center emissions, Gotspace CEO Nicholas Fiorillo, said that he would work towards making the first data center in Connecticut powered by renewables: "The generators that we buy, they run on hydrogen and diesel. As soon as the hydrogen becomes available, the diesel fuel isn't there. The way that we're constructing these things, all we have to do is put hydrogen in instead of diesel, and you'll have zero (emissions)."

However, locals have highlighted that the current proposed regulations for data center development in the area don't require environmental impact studies to be conducted, while others have outlined concerns about the displacement of local wildlife.

According to My Record Planner, Town Environmental Planner Erin O'Hare said site plans would be presented before the wetlands commission due to a 20,000-square-foot threshold for "creating surface area that automatically triggers a wetland permit."

Discussions continue.