Salem 3 data center campus (4-3 Glennbrook Group)
Also called: 4-3 Glenbrook Group, Salem 3, 4-3 Salem Township Data Center (4-3 Glen Brook Group), 4-3 Glennbrook Group LLC
A local group wants to expand Salem Township's data center zone by more than 4,000 acres for a 39-building campus using up to 3.5-4 gigawatts. Landowners would be paid $1.2-1.4 billion. Township supervisors are set to vote in October 2026.
Where things stand: Planning Commission recommended the data center overlay expansion a third time (Sept. 2026) after a court found a Sunshine Act violation. Supervisors are expected to vote in October 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 24, 2026): After a judge ordered a re-hearing, the Planning Commission recommended it again (third vote). Developer offered to test every well in the township.
Salem Township Board of Supervisors. We don't know yet if Salem 3 data center campus (4-3 Glennbrook Group) is on the agenda. Call the office to check before you go.
What we know
- 📍 WhereMore than 4,000 acres to be bought from over 200 landowners, Salem Township, Luzerne County
- 🏢 Company4-3 Glennbrook Group
- 🌳 Size4,466 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs3,500 megawatts (about as much as 2,800,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes from3.5-4 gigawatts; would use the nuclear plant and the regional grid
- ❄️ CoolingClosed-loop water system (developer claim)
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Who will build and use the campus? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water will it use, and will wells be affected? 🙋 I'll find out
- What power lines and power plants would be needed for up to 4 gigawatts? 🙋 I'll find out
- On what exact date will supervisors vote? 🙋 I'll find out
- Was a secret deal (NDA) signed? 🙋 I'll find out
🔎 What we checked
- Oct 6, 2026: We checked the Susquehanna River Basin Commission's public list of water applications: there is no water application from this project. As of mid-2026, SRBC said Amazon's Salem Township campus was the only data center it had approved. A data center needs SRBC approval before it runs if it uses up (mostly by evaporation) more than 20,000 gallons a day on a 30-day average, or takes water from its own wells or streams above SRBC limits.
What happened so far
- June 2026Developer announced a $1.2-1.4 billion land deal with landowners.
- July 23, 2026Planning Commission first recommended the overlay; residents sued, saying the public was locked out.
- Sept 18, 2026The Times-Tribune listed Salem 3 as a 39-building campus on 4,466 acres, waiting for zoning approval. It must then file a master plan and get land development approval and permits.
- Sept 24, 2026After a judge ordered a re-hearing, the Planning Commission recommended it again (third vote). Developer offered to test every well in the township.
Local votes and rules
🗺️ Zoning change
After a court voided its earlier votes, the Salem Township Planning Commission voted a third time to recommend a larger data center overlay zone. The zone would help a third data center project move forward. Township supervisors make the final decision.
🗺️ Zoning change
Salem Township supervisors scheduled a vote to expand the township's data center overlay zone for the Salem 3 campus, a planned 39-building project on more than 4,000 acres with its own power plant. Residents went to court over meeting notice and limits on public comment.
⚖️ Court case
A Luzerne County judge ruled that the Salem Township Planning Commission broke the state open-meetings law when some people were locked out of a meeting on a data center zoning overlay. Eight residents without a lawyer brought the case. The ruling voided the commission's earlier vote on an overlay for a third data center project, called Salem 3.
✅ Approved
The Salem Township Planning Commission recommended conditional approval of a revised master plan for a QTS data center campus. The new plan cuts the project from 18 buildings to 12 but adds 100 acres. It also involves closing parts of three local roads. Supervisors had approved an earlier master plan.
🤝 Agreement with the company
Salem Township supervisors approved a Blackstone QTS data center campus planned for about 1,700 acres bought from 96 landowners. The township received a $9 million community benefit agreement to pay for emergency medical services, roads and other infrastructure, and town services.
Drag the slider to compare the land before and now.
Where this comes from
- Salem Twp. Planning Commission again recommends data center overlay expansion · Times Leader · Sept 24, 2026
- Developers tout impacts of 3 data center campuses; Zoning meeting set for Wednesday on 4-3 Glenbrook Group project · Times Leader · Aug 22, 2026
- Pa. township residents sue after being locked out of public meeting on data centers · lehighvalleylive.com · Aug 21, 2026
- Meeting Notice - change of venue meeting dates 2026 · Salem Township · Oct 6, 2026
- 22 regional data center projects and where they stand · The Times-Tribune · Sept 18, 2026
- PA Data Center Permit Tracker - all projects list (CSV behind the DEP map) · Pennsylvania DEP · Oct 6, 2026
- Water Use by Data Centers in the Susquehanna River Basin - FAQ · Susquehanna River Basin Commission · 2026
- Water Application and Approval Viewer (WAAV) · Susquehanna River Basin Commission · Oct 6, 2026
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