Residents and elected officials want PA Permit Fast Track Program to slow down when it comes to data centers
News ClipWVIA Public Media·Archbald, Lackawanna County, PA·3/24/2026
Residents and elected officials in Archbald, Pennsylvania, are questioning the state's PA Permit Fast Track Program after a data center project was accepted, citing lack of transparency and environmental concerns. Project Gravity, a large-scale data center campus, has received preliminary local approval but faces ongoing opposition and calls for a statewide moratorium on data center development.
zoningoppositionenvironmentalgovernmentelectricitymoratorium
Gov: Governor Josh Shapiro, Office of Transformation and Opportunity, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Archbald Council, Archbald Borough Manager, Archbald Solicitor, Hazle Twp. Supervisors, State Sen. Rosemary Brown
Governor Josh Shapiro established the PA Permit Fast Track Program in November 2024 to accelerate permitting for major economic development projects in Pennsylvania. However, the program, overseen by the Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO), is now facing criticism from residents and elected officials, particularly regarding its application to data center developments.
In Archbald, Lackawanna County, the "Stop Archbald Data Centers" group, along with local officials, are scrutinizing the Fast Track acceptance of Archbald 25 Developer LLC's "Project Gravity." This proposed seven-building data center campus, slated for 186 acres, involves a projected $5 billion investment. Opponents express outrage over perceived program opaqueness, the swift clearing of trees from the site, and the potential displacement of mobile home residents, highlighting environmental justice concerns. State Senator Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe, is co-sponsoring legislation for a three-year data center moratorium and advocates for a "residents-first legislative package," arguing Project Gravity is ill-suited for its residential location and lacks clear answers on water and electricity impacts.
OTO maintains that the Fast Track program streamlines processes without compromising municipal approvals or environmental standards. Project Gravity has secured preliminary land development approval from Archbald Borough but still requires final local sign-off and a detailed permitting schedule to proceed fully within Fast Track. Separately, NorthPoint's "Project Hazlenut" in Hazle Twp., also a Fast Track project, had its land development plan denied by local supervisors. Governor Shapiro's administration, responsive to public concerns, has introduced the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) program, setting standards for data center developers, and will now prioritize Fast Track applications only from projects that adhere to these new guidelines.