DEP Invites Comments On Homer City Generation Chapter 105 Permit Covering Permanent Loss Of 441 Feet Of Stream To Develop Part Of A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the October 11 PA Bulletin it has received a Chapter 105 permit application from Homer City Generation LP covering the development of a 68.6 acre graded development pad and stormwater management facilities related to its proposed A.I. data center campus in Blacklick and Center Townships, Indiana County. (PA Bulletin, page 7175)

The notice said the project will result in the permanent loss of 441 feet of stream channel and “0.126 acre of five wetland areas.”

The application proposes to use DEP’s new Program for In-Lieu-Fee Stream and Wetland Mitigation (PIESCES) Program to replace wetlands and the stream lost to the development.

The program allows applicants to offset the wetlands and stream losses caused by their projects by contributing money to a program to restore similar resources elsewhere.

DEP is accepting comments on the application for 30 days-- until November 10.

The DEP may schedule a fact-finding hearing or an informal conference in response to comments if it deems necessary. 

Comments can be sent to: DEP Northwest Regional Office, Waterways & Wetlands Program. 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335-3481 or RA-EPWW-NWRO@pa.gov. 

To arrange to review the application, or to ask questions, call the Northwest Regional Office at 814-332-6945.

Very Small Dam Removal

DEP also published notice in the October 11 PA Bulletin announcing it has approved a Homer City Generation LP dam safety application to remove the Lake Bruce Dam, a small embankment used as part of a coal cleaning process on the site that is no longer used on the site of the proposed A.I. data center campus in Center Twp., Indiana County. (PA Bulletin, page 7200)  

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website.  Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Posted: October 14, 2025]  PA Environment Digest