Municipalities back 180-day data center moratoriums to create rules 'in peace'

Local government officials across Pennsylvania are leveraging a provision in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code to implement de facto six-month moratoriums on data center proposals. This "curative amendment" process allows entities without specific data center zoning language to pause considering new applications for 180 days while they draft and adopt appropriate ordinances. East Whiteland Township in Chester County, for instance, voted in March to initiate this 180-day period. This move came despite the township already having an approved data center plan that has stirred significant community controversy. Township Manager Steve Brown stated the goal is to "write a zoning ordinance in peace" and prepare for potential future proposals, as Limerick Township in Montgomery County is currently managing two separate data center projects. Other municipalities and counties that have adopted or are considering these moratoriums include West Whiteland Township, Madison Township in Columbia County, Pine Township in Columbia County, and Montour County. Rebecca Dressler, chairperson of the Montour County commissioners, noted their November moratorium aimed to establish clear guidelines for developers. While the State Legislature has yet to pass a comprehensive framework, State Sen. Katie Muth plans to introduce a bill for a statewide three-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers, and Republican Sen. Jarrett Coleman of Lehigh County intends to propose legislation to fortify municipalities' ability to enact such pauses, citing concerns about the existing MPC language's legal robustness. Community opposition remains high, with residents like Vitali Stanevich of East Whiteland Township expressing distrust in developers and concerns about environmental impacts, such as building near a Superfund site, and the immense energy demands of data centers. Stanevich highlighted the burden on local boards of supervisors to make decisions on projects with such "massive concentration of energy." Developers for the East Whiteland project recently reverted to an earlier 2024 approved plan after a revised proposal drew widespread community backlash.