Photo by Sophia Cianfrini.
As the communities of Genesee County contemplate the future of industrial development in the Western New York region, critics of the Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP Project) convened an informational meeting at the Alabama Fire Hall on Thursday.
Open to the public, the event included a PowerPoint presentation, educational brochures, and guest speakers who shared their views on the project’s implications.
“We need to think seven generations from now,” said meeting organizer and Snipe Clan spokesperson, Grandell “Bird” Logan. “Whatever we do to the land today will affect our children and their children many years from now, long after we’re gone.”
A significant portion of the meeting’s discussion focused on the Genesee County Economic Development Center’s (GCEDC) recent approval of plans to construct a 2,525-megawatt data center and an associated wastewater pipeline. Spanning 900,000 square feet, the development site is located in the town of Alabama, just 400 feet from Seneca Nation territory.
Opponents argue that the pipeline will discharge sewage into the Oakfield Municipal Water Treatment Plant, and subsequently into Oak Orchard Creek.
Proponents of the STAMP project have previously highlighted the promise of substantial job creation and the potential for low-cost hydropower from the Niagara River, as facilitated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). However, attendees of Thursday’s meeting indicated they remain unconvinced, questioning whether the anticipated economic benefits justify the potential risks to local ecosystems, environmental safety, and public health.
STAMP was initially conceptualized in 2008 as a community investment aimed at attracting semiconductor, renewable energy, and high-tech manufacturing industries to the Genesee County region.
Over the course of several years and through multiple phases of planning, the GCEDC worked to secure state funding and gain regulatory approvals to develop the site. Throughout the 2010s, the agency acquired land and expanded utilities, including the low-cost hydropower benefits from the NYPA.
As of 2025, STAMP has two committed tenants: Plug Power, a manufacturer of green hydrogen fuel, and Edwards Vacuum, a manufacturer of semiconductor equipment.
More recently, Stream U.S. Data Centers has received approval from the GCEDC board to acquire land in the park to build a 900,000-square-foot facility for $6.3 billion. Stream is prepared to purchase the land for $17.8 million and contribute $50 million toward completion of the site's electric substation. GCEDC has pledged a tax incentive package valued at approximately $471.6–$472 million, primarily in sales and mortgage tax exemptions
STAMP has received statewide support since its inception, including endorsements from Sen. Charles Schumer, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Gov. Kathy Hochul. At the same time, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation has opposed the project.
Scott Logan, subchief of the Bear Clan, expressed his dissent, “They originally wanted to place the facility 100 feet from the reservation. We had to fight for the 400-foot buffer. I don’t want this on or near our land.”
He added, “We found that the construction of the data center and pipeline would threaten rare medicinal plants and wildlife in the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge, some of which can only be found in very few regions of the state”.
Local residents of Alabama in attendance at the meeting expressed concerns over the STAMP’s impact on public health, citing the project’s potential to produce hazardous waste, spills, noise pollution, increased traffic congestion, and industrial accidents such as fires or explosions.
On noise pollution, guest speaker and family medicine physician, Dr. Kirk Scirto, said, "Constant exposure to low-vibrational frequencies, particularly those above 60 decibels, can disrupt one's sleep cycle and exacerbate symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression."
Meeting organizer Angela Carlson and Oakfield resident urged those still uncertain about STAMP’s developments to learn more about the proposal.
“Knowledge is power. Please do your research and learn about greenwashing and its effects. STAMP is stubborn," she said. "They won’t listen to their constituents”.
In their closing remarks, the organizers and guest speakers encouraged the audience to take action by contacting their representatives, attending GCEDC board meetings, and engaging their neighbors in meaningful discussions about these initiatives.
