Sen. Rosemary Brown seeks moratorium on data centers
Pennsylvania state Sen. Rosemary Brown is seeking a three-year moratorium on applications for large-scale data centers while lawmakers consider broader development regulations. Her proposed Residents First package would require utility-capacity documentation, limit projects to industrially zoned areas and mandate independent water-impact studies.
State Sen. Rosemary Brown, a Republican representing Pennsylvania’s 40th District, is pursuing a three-year moratorium on large-scale data center applications. She cited rapid development across the state and concerns that municipalities lack the regulations and resources needed to evaluate projects, including numerous proposed campuses in Lackawanna County’s Archbald area.
Brown co-sponsored Senate Bill 1359, which has not reached the Senate floor, and attached similar language to another bill in the Senate Local Government Committee. She also introduced a Residents First package requiring developers to document utility capacity, restricting large-scale facilities to industrial zones and requiring independent water-impact studies and long-term water-use monitoring. The measures remain under consideration as Brown seeks additional legislative support.