At its September 15 meeting, the Holmdel Planning Board selected an engineering firm to review the Bell Works data center application. That clears the way for the Planning Board to begin hearing the application once the firm gets up to speed.

 

Now we need to be ready.

 

We’re excited to announce that SHIELD is now formally incorporated as a nonprofit corporation: SHIELD HOLMDEL.  We have filed to operate as a 501(c)(4) organization with the IRS.

 

We have no paid employees - all volunteers. All money goes to legal expenses, expert witnesses, and a small amount towards our outreach efforts (e.g., printing flyers, posters, or holding info meetings, etc.).

 

Our immediate goal is to hire an attorney to represent SHIELD HOLMDEL before the Planning Board.

 

Why is legal representation so important?

 

1. We need an attorney to present the public’s case.

 

An attorney is required for an objector to present expert witnesses before the Planning Board. Without legal representation, residents are largely limited to brief public comments before the Board votes.

 

Expert testimony could be critical to addressing issues such as noise, environmental impacts, diesel fuel storage, contamination, traffic, property values, and electric-grid impacts.

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2. We need to build the record from the start.

 

If the Planning Board denies the application, we expect the applicant could appeal that decision in court. On appeal, the judge generally reviews the record created during the Planning Board proceedings rather than hearing an entirely new case.

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That means we cannot wait until an appeal to make our case. We need to put the strongest evidence and expert testimony into the record now.

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WE NEED YOUR HELP.

 

Legal representation will cost money. A $275 donation pays for approximately 30 minutes of attorney time.

 

Every donation helps us prepare for what could be one of Holmdel’s most consequential land-use decisions.

 

The proposed data center raises serious concerns, including:

 

• Noise pollution and 24/7 operations
• Environmental impacts
• On-site storage of diesel fuel equivalent to roughly 30 tanker trucks
• Potential mobilization of known contaminants
• Impacts on neighboring property values
• Massive electricity demand and potential impacts on electric rates

 

This is our community. This is our opportunity to be heard. And we need to be prepared.

 

PLEASE DONATE TO THE SHIELD HOLMDEL LEGAL FUND

 

By check:
Make checks payable to SHIELD HOLMDEL and mail to:

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SHIELD HOLMDEL
PO Box 761
Holmdel, NJ 07733

 

Donate online:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-protect-holmdel

 

Note: Any “tip” requested by Zeffy is optional. Feel free to leave about 5-6% to support Zeffy’s fee-free platform, if you wish.