Data centers

Longtime resident criticized the mayor's remarks toward Councilman Rios, supported the data center ban, called the CDBG appointment process into question, and called the year-long firehouse delay a dereliction of duty.

An IT professional urged the council to study Pennsylvania's data center rules rather than rush a ban, and endorsed striping parking spaces from Dolan to Washington on Main Street.

Said data centers can be built without tapping local power and water, warned Flock cameras create a tracking network and misread plates, and demanded real enforcement of the 25 mph limit on Main Street.

Cited Piscataway's 14 data center facilities and noise-control requirements, offered to drive council members to Virginia's "data alley," and criticized the Board of Education's $16 million budget reserve while residents struggle with taxes.

Fact-checked the mayor, saying O'Brien helped overturn the council's pilot rejections, and disputed the value of PILOT payments.

He agreed 18 months is a joke, criticized the mayor's treatment of Blemur, and accused the council of double standards on warehouse and storage facility tax pilots.

She told the council 18 months is a 'blink of an eye' and urged a minimum five-year ban, saying construction wouldn't even be finished in 18 months.

A retired Caterpillar power-systems rep said she can likely arrange data center tours for the council, defended the industry's noise and emissions controls, and warned against giving billion-dollar operators tax pilots.

He noted the old factories employed the whole region while data centers won't, questioned water and power demands, and asked about the new high-voltage poles going down Minnesauke Avenue.

A resident with IT credentials disputed claims that data centers are quiet, citing server cooling fans and heat, and argued 18 months won't produce the cooling technology needed.

She spoke against data centers, commented on all the commercial building in town, and said Sayreville needs more housing instead.

Detailed environmental, water-use, and health risks of proposed data centers on four parcels near Journey Mill Road and Bordentown Avenue, citing wetlands and air-quality data.

NJ Environmental Justice Alliance policy director outlined diesel-generator air pollution, water use, and noise risks of data centers.

Sierra Club conservation manager urged removing data centers from the plan and adopting a borough-wide ordinance with safeguards, citing Virginia's experience.

A Holmdel farmer warned about shared aquifer impacts, electric costs, and effects on local agriculture from data centers.

Praised the prior speaker and argued warehouses placed far from the Turnpike sit empty for years before being converted to data centers.

Asked whether the borough's 10 million gallons-per-day South River water diversion permit remains in effect and noted gray water from MCUA as a potential resource.