A planned massive 900,000-square-foot data center for the Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) is on hold, but far from canceled. The board of directors for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, the agency behind the mega-site, voted unanimously to retract the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) for the project.
It comes amid a legal challenge from the nearby Tonawanda Seneca Nation and the Sierra Club, who cited feared environmental and economic impacts to the Native nation. The Seneca territory borders the STAMP site, and its construction was long opposed by members and leaders who say they weren't consulted.
"We asked the court to strike down GCEDC's SEQR approvals, so for the GCEDC to void the approvals voluntarily is a huge win," said Tonawanda Seneca Chief Roger Hill.
But GCEDC isn't abandoning their efforts to bring a data center to the industrial park through partner STREAM U.S. Data Centers. According to the agency's president, the board withdrew the plans because STREAM now wants a larger presence at the 1,250-acre campus.
"The GCEDC has received notice that STREAM U.S. Data Centers has identified an opportunity to secure additional capacity and increase the scale of their project at the Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP)," Genesee County Economic Development President Mark Masse said in a statement to BTPM NPR.
With increased scale, that means modifications to reviews and approvals will be needed.
"STREAM U.S. Data Centers has further advised the GCEDC that it intends to submit an amended application in the future which will identify in greater detail aspects of the revised project, and will not be proceeding with plans and specifications for the project as approved by the GCEDC Board of Directors on March 6, 2025," Masse further said.
Tonawanda Seneca leaders say they will continue to monitor the situation, and plot out their next steps. As of right now, no decision has been made on how they'll proceed in court.
"A massive data center at STAMP would harm our people and our way of life by creating constant jet-engine-like noise, damaging our waters and raising electricity prices for our citizens and local citizens," said Hill. "We have to fight against this idea because of the responsibility we have to protect our territory and future generations."
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