Advocates call for a statewide moratorium on new data centers in Pennsylvania

A coalition of advocacy groups, labor unions, and community members convened at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg to demand a three-year statewide moratorium on new data center development. The rally and press conference, spearheaded by organizations like Make the Road Pa. and the Center for Coalfield Justice, aimed to spotlight growing concerns over the rapid expansion of data centers across the Commonwealth. Abigail English, communications manager for Make the Road Pa., stated that the goal is to allow the state time to research the impacts of data centers on the workforce, community health, and the environment. Advocates, including Allentown resident Mayloren Bautista, highlighted the issue of affordability, citing rising utility bills directly linked to increased energy demands from data centers. Nina Victoria of the Center for Coalfield Justice raised environmental concerns, noting the potential for some proposed data centers to be powered by natural gas infrastructure, which could exacerbate existing health risks in western Pennsylvania communities. Opponents of the moratorium, including U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA), argue that data centers are crucial for meeting growing energy and technology demands, especially in the global AI race. Senator McCormick, who chairs the Senate Energy Subcommittee, recently held a hearing on strengthening the electric grid and ensuring long-term power reliability. Utility provider PPL Electric Utilities also issued a statement affirming strong safeguards and regulatory oversight to ensure data centers fund their own infrastructure, protect residential customers, and maintain reliable service, while acknowledging the challenge of power plant retirements outpacing new generation.