Appalachian Trail Conservancy response to Proposed Data Center Development in Watts Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania
August 10, 2026
Watts Township, Perry County Board of Supervisors
Karl Raudensky, Chairman
Darren Miller, Vice Chairman
Joel Deaven
Re: Proposed Data Center Development
Dear Board of Supervisors,
On behalf of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), I am writing to express concern regarding the proposed Data Center development in Watts Township and its likely impacts on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T.), one of Pennsylvania’s most significant public natural resources and outdoor recreation assets. We are grateful to the Board of Supervisors for amending the Watts Township, Perry County Zoning Ordinance on June 25th, 2026 and wish to express our thanks to the Township for prioritizing scenic and conservation values throughout the approval process.
ATC is charged under the National Trails System Act with administration of the length of the Appalachian Trail in cooperation with the National Park Service, US Forest Service, numerous state agencies, and thousands of volunteers. ATC’s mission is to protect, manage, and advocate for the A.T. for its significance as a recreational and economic asset for the
communities through which it passes. Pennsylvania contains approximately 230 miles of the Appalachian Trail and is among the most visited sections of the entire Trail system.¹ In 2025
alone, Pennsylvania recorded approximately 2,702,091 recreational visits to the A.T., representing nearly 15% of all visits Trail-wide and making Pennsylvania the third most visited
state on the Appalachian Trail.² The A.T. itself remains one of the nation’s most iconic public lands and is collectively recognized as the ninth most visited unit within the National Park System.³
The Trail is far more than a footpath. It is a defining component of the Commonwealth’s outdoor recreation economy, a major contributor to tourism and quality of life, and an important driver for talent attraction and community vitality. Nearly two million Pennsylvanians live within a thirty-minute drive of an A.T. access point, and nearly 3.5 million live within ninety minutes.⁴
Annually 500 volunteers from ten Trail clubs contribute over 10,500 hours to the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. Access to natural landscapes and outdoor recreation contributes directly to physical health, mental wellbeing, and long-term public health
outcomes across the Commonwealth.The borough of Duncannon, one of 56 official A.T. Communities, is situated just across the river from the proposed site at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers and is well known for its views from Hawk Rock and Peter’s Mountain. Duncannon is also part of the Kittatinny Ridge Flyway Global Important Bird Area (IBA). Kittatinny Ridge is a long mountain ridge that winds 185 miles through eastern and central Pennsylvania, to the Maryland line. Each year tens of thousands of raptors and vultures and millions of songbirds use this flyway for their fall migration. The many rock outcroppings along the ridge also make it an excellent place to watch the many migrating species.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes the Commonwealth’s interest in economic development, energy infrastructure, and emerging technology investment. We also recognize Pennsylvania’s growing leadership in outdoor recreation, conservation, and community resilience. It is precisely because of these parallel priorities that we believe projects of this scale and proximity to the A.T. warrant careful review and heightened attention to scenic, experiential, and environmental impacts.
Our concern with the proposed data center is based primarily on the adverse impacts on the scenic and experiential character of the Appalachian Trail corridor. ATC staff and technical
experts have reviewed project materials and conducted a Visual Resource Inventory assessment of the affected area. That assessment indicates that the majority of the proposed
development, including associated industrial infrastructure, would be visible from three highly rated viewpoints, Hawk Rock, Peters Mountain 2, and Peters Mountain Powerline (one of the
most popular powerline views on the whole trail).
Pennsylvania has long recognized the importance of protecting the Appalachian Trail corridor. The Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act of 19785 explicitly states that the Trail should be
preserved as a source of natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values and conserved as a public natural resource for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians and that municipalities along the
trail take such action consistent with law to preserve these values. It goes on to say that such action shall include the adoption, implementation and enforcement of zoning ordinances as the governing body deems necessary to preserve those values. The Act further affirms the Commonwealth’s responsibility under Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which guarantees the people’s right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment.
The ATC is supportive of the June 2026 ordinance amendment approved by the Watts Township Board of Supervisors township and concerned about the Curative Amendments submitted on behalf of MRPI. We believe that approval of these amendments will lead to inappropriately sited development and would have adverse impacts on the scenic and experiential values of the Appalachian Trail. We ask that the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commissionreject these Curative Amendments and consider input from the ATC and our partners when evaluating this and other development proposals.
We appreciate the opportunity to share our concerns and thank you for your consideration of the Appalachian Trail in zoning decisions. The ATC would be happy to arrange a tour or
meeting with anyone in the township who would benefit from seeing and understanding the impact of this project on the Trail. If you or someone from your team would like to discuss this
issue further, please contact Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Rachel Lettre at rlettre@applachiantrail.org or 202.985.3580.
Sincerely,
Rachel Lettre
Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Email: rlettre@appalachiantrail.org
Phone: 202-985-3580
cc:
Scott McCormick, Acting Superintendent Appalachian National Scenic Trail (APPA), National Park Service
Denise Nelson, Environmental Protection Specialist, APPA, National Park Service
Katie Hess Director of Pennsylvania Landscape Conservation, ATC
Michelle Miller, Regional Manager, ATC
Pamela Roy, Senior Visual Resource Manager, ATC
Michael Shenk, Associate Director of Kittatinny Conservation Landscape, ATC
Jeff Martz, Duncannon A.T. Community
Matthew Wilson, York Hiking Club and Duncannon Appalachian Trail Club
Bill Saunders, Mountain Club of Maryland
Jack Spitznagel, Mountain Club of Maryland
Jerry Wright, Mountain Club of Maryland
Holly Smith, President Keystone Hiking Association
Attachments: Viewshed Map
¹ Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Pennsylvania State Summary Fact Sheet, March 10, 2026.
² Appalachian Trail Conservancy visitation data, 2025.
³ National Park Service visitation rankings.
⁴ Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Pennsylvania State Summary Fact Sheet, March 10, 2026.
⁵ Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act, Act of April 28, 1978.
⁶ Pennsylvania Constitution, Article I, Section 27.#appalachiantrail #conservation #preservation #wattstownship #perrycountypa #susquehannariver #haldemanisland #hawkrock #petersmountain
