Hazle Township data‑center project – permit and zoning outcome

Hazle Township officials are currently drafting new zoning rules that will determine if a 1,250-acre data center campus can proceed near residential areas [1][5]. The outcome affects a proposed $165 million community benefits package, which includes $10,000 grants for every township household and a $30 million utility offset fund [4][6][8]. These payments are contingent upon the approval of "Project Hazelnut," a 15-building facility planned near Interstate 81 and Humboldt Industrial Park [2][9].

The township is operating under a 180-day moratorium on data center approvals enacted on June 8, 2026 [3][5]. This pause allows the Board of Supervisors to address a zoning ordinance previously declared invalid for failing to regulate data center land use [1][5]. A model ordinance under review suggests a 2,000-foot setback for hyperscale facilities from schools and homes [3].

The 180-day moratorium on data center approvals is scheduled to expire in early December 2026 [1][3]. Before that date, the Board of Supervisors must finalize and vote on the curative amendment to the zoning ordinance [1][5].

Following the zoning update, the Hazle Township Zoning Board will hold a special exception hearing to vote on the project's permit [2][3]. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection must also issue a final permit decision before construction can begin [10].