South Strabane again delays fossil fuel ordinance vote
The South Strabane Board of Supervisors tabled the second scheduled vote in as many months on the long-awaited fossil fuel power generation ordinance following the detection of a number of inconsistencies in the draft text.
This ordinance is the final remaining piece of a set of three related ordinances advanced by local officials since late 2025 to regulate data center development in the township.
The centerpiece data center ordinance and an updated noise ordinance were adopted unanimously in June, with the fossil fuel ordinance set for a vote in July.
At the time, township Solicitor Dennis Makel recommended tabling the vote following a number of residents’ comments and suggestions on how to improve the draft text.
Makel again recommended tabling the vote during a Tuesday night meeting after a resident raised several irregularities in the latest version of the proposed ordinance from the version advertised in July.
Resident Cynthia Rossi said the latest draft of the ordinance omitted several key sections that were present in the July version, including some language on environmental protection and legal enforcement procedures.
“The new version is even weaker,” Rossi said. “I’m very, very concerned.”
Makel said he was unsure what led to the omissions in the draft, saying that he will review the text again and bring a further revision to the board for a vote during its Sept. 22 meeting.
Resident Diane Eckert said that while she is pleased that the township is continuing to move forward with the fossil fuel ordinance, she would prefer that the board of supervisors find a way to ban any data center project outright.
“We ought to be able to say no to things that are going to poison our land,” she said.