Blair County state representatives host data center meeting as public concern grows
Two Blair County state representatives hosted a public meeting regarding data center development, addressing growing concerns over electricity prices and environmental impacts. While a statewide moratorium has been requested, state lawmakers are exploring regulations, and Governor Shapiro has issued GRID standards for development. A specific data center project proposed by Terrawatt in Roaring Spring has prompted Taylor Township to consider a new zoning ordinance and hold a public hearing.
State Representatives Scott Barger and Andrea Verobish of Blair County, Pennsylvania, hosted a public informational meeting at the Blair County Convention Center to address growing public concerns regarding data center development, particularly electricity prices and environmental impacts. Representative Barger, representing the 80th District, acknowledged the public's desire to halt development but stated that lawmakers are focused on regulation, mentioning the "Pennsylvania Ratepayer Protection Act," which aims to compel data centers to source their own power.
Representative Verobish, representing the 79th District including Altoona, highlighted Governor Josh Shapiro's GRID standards, an executive order providing guidelines for data center development. These standards require developers to enter into legally binding consent orders with reporting, auditing, and civil penalty provisions for non-compliance.
Local residents, including Troy Wright of Taylor Township, expressed a desire for more information, particularly concerning environmental impacts, as a data center by Terrawatt is being considered at the former Appvion Paper Mill in Roaring Spring. Terrawatt has not yet submitted a formal proposal. Jerome Dodson, chair of Taylor Township's Board of Supervisors, announced an upcoming public hearing on a proposed data center ordinance on October 8. Some attendees also voiced concerns about the broader implications of AI and the lobbying efforts behind data center expansion.