HOW TO SUBMIT AN EFFECTIVE NJDEP COMMENT

Comments are due October 7.

You do not need to be an environmental expert to comment. You also do not need to oppose data centers.

The purpose of commenting is to make sure NJDEP considers important questions about this facility before issuing a final permit.

Please write in your own words if possible. A short, thoughtful comment focusing on one or two concerns can be more useful than copying a form letter.

Information you will need

Facility: PN-DC1 / Sentinel Data CenterLocation: 4405 Route 1, South Brunswick, NJPermit ID: PCP250001

Comments can be submitted through the NJDEP permit comment form.

What can I write about?

Choose whichever issue matters most to you. You do not need to address all of these.

1. Is NJDEP considering the larger development that may follow?

The current data center is approximately 341,000 square feet, but it sits within a 162-acre commercial development being marketed for as much as 1.8 million square feet of total development. The marketing materials identify data centers among the potential uses for the remaining parcels.

You might ask:

Has NJDEP considered the cumulative environmental effects if additional data centers or other energy-intensive facilities are developed on the remaining Princeton Nurseries property?

2. What happens if there are more data centers — and more generators?

The current air permit concerns 12 large diesel backup generators.

You might ask:

If additional data centers are developed on the remaining parcels, could they each install their own diesel generators under separate permits? At what point would NJDEP consider the cumulative air pollution from the entire development?

3. Can the facility reduce its reliance on diesel?

Backup power is essential for a data center, but technology is changing rapidly.

You might ask:

Has the applicant adequately evaluated batteries, cleaner fuels, microgrids or other technologies that could reduce the number of hours these diesel generators operate and reduce emissions over the life of the facility?

4. How much electricity will the data center require?

The property's commercial marketing materials highlight its proximity to a 125-megawatt PSE&G substation, yet the public should be able to understand the actual electrical requirements of the facility.

You might ask:

What is PN-DC1's expected peak electrical demand, and what additional electrical infrastructure will be required if the larger site is developed?

5. How much water will it use?

Data-center water consumption can vary enormously depending upon the cooling technology employed.

You might ask:

What cooling system will PN-DC1 use? What are its projected daily and annual water requirements, and where will that water come from?

If the facility will use a low-water cooling system, that is useful information for the public to know.

6. What protections are in place for soil, groundwater and stormwater?

This is a former nursery property with a documented history of pesticide contamination.

You might ask:

How has NJDEP ensured that construction, excavation and stormwater management will not disturb previously remediated contaminated soils or allow contaminants to migrate into groundwater, wetlands or nearby waterways?

7. What happens to all of the diesel fuel?

Large emergency generators require substantial fuel storage.

You might ask:

How much diesel fuel will be stored on site, what secondary containment will be required, and what safeguards will prevent a fuel spill from reaching soil, groundwater or stormwater systems?

8. What will neighbors actually experience?

Air emissions aren't the only potential effect.

You might ask:

Has cumulative noise from generators, cooling equipment and other mechanical systems been modeled at nearby residential areas, including nighttime conditions?

One particularly important request

Whatever issue you choose, consider ending your comment with a request like this:

“I respectfully ask NJDEP not to issue the final permit until these questions have been addressed in the public record and appropriate enforceable permit conditions have been established.”

You can also contact Princeton

Although the facility is located in South Brunswick, Princeton residents can ask the Mayor, Princeton Council and Princeton Environmental Commission to review the project and its potential cross-border impacts.

A simple message is enough:

“I am concerned about the PN-DC1/Sentinel data center under construction at the former Princeton Nurseries property near Princeton. Because NJDEP's air-permit comment period ends October 7, I hope Princeton will review the project and submit comments requesting full disclosure and consideration of its air, energy, water, stormwater, noise and cumulative development impacts.”

Most important: ask questions

This effort does not need to be framed as opposition to technology.

Data centers are essential infrastructure. The issue is whether extremely large facilities are being developed with appropriate environmental safeguards, transparency and consideration of their cumulative effects.

And because much of the Princeton Nurseries property remains available for development, now is the time to understand what this first project could mean for the future of the entire site.