Developing a noise ordinance for a rural township impacted by data centers

Rural areas across the country are experiencing an influx of data centers and cryptocurrency mining due to the abundance of open space they offer. For the counties and townships, this development offers tax income, but there is a tremendous sound impact on the residents. Salem Township in Luzerne County is a rural area in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The township officers contacted Metropolitan Acoustics due to noise complaints from an existing cryptocurrency mining operation and an impending deal with AWS to build up to 15 data center buildings on 1600 acres. Additionally, the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear power plant is located in Salem Township and AWS is planning on using much of the energy output from the plant. The township had no noise ordinance and wanted to be proactive for the impending AWS deal as well as tackle the existing noise problems from the cryptocurrency mining operation. Metropolitan Acoustics was hired to measure sound levels across various areas of the township in different seasons, and to write a noise ordinance that would allow operations of these and other existing industries to operate while protecting their residents from excessive sound.