Neighborhood Concerns Regarding Incomplete Site Plan Review, Case No. DA-1707-46 (Trident Data Center )

Our analysis of the Vantage corporation's Site Plan for the Trident Data Center at Windsor, Aurora, Colorado USA, reveals critical evidentiary deficiencies regarding the mitigation of industrial externalities. The facility’s proposed deployment of 28 locomotive-scale diesel generators poses severe, unmitigated risks to a formally designated Disproportionately Impacted Community (DIC) in Aurora’s 80019 ZIP code. 

 

Based on our review of publically available information, we believe the Trident Data Center will generate three highly stratified impact zones. The surrounding community, including four K-12 educational campuses, will be subjected to raw nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure, massive thermal plumes that exacerbate the urban heat island effect, and deeply penetrative low-frequency acoustic vibration (dBC). 

 

In our opinion, and from a statutory and administrative perspective, advancing this project without empirical mitigation data constitutes a significant liability risk. First, it actively conflicts with the legislative intent of Colorado’s Environmental Justice Act (HB21-1266) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by placing a disproportionate pollution burden on a protected minority demographic. Second, under Aurora’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Section 146-5.4.3, the City Manager is legally prohibited from approving a Site Plan unless the developer empirically proves that adverse impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods are fully mitigated. Approving this plan based on speculative assurances by the Vantage corporation constitutes, in our opinion, an arbitrary abuse of administrative discretion, inviting C.R.C.P. Rule 106(a)(4) litigation.

 

Our recommendation is to formally petition the City Manager to reject the current Site Plan for the Trident Data Center. Should the City defer rejection, we strongly recommend strictly conditioning any further review on a "Fourth Resubmittal" process. We recommend this review process includes independent thermodynamic and acoustic modeling, the prior securement of State Air Quality Permits (CDPHE), and the mandate of a $546,000,000 Performance Surety Bond to fully insulate Aurora taxpayers from the fiscal and environmental damages of any future UDO noncompliance by the Trident Data Center.