Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro Addresses Data Center Proposals in Lackawanna County
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro discussed an executive order empowering local communities to decide on development projects, specifically mentioning data center proposals. The policy was influenced by community opposition in Archbald, Lackawanna County, where a data center was proposed near a park. This executive order ensures that if a local community doesn't want a project, it will not proceed.
During a press conference on Friday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed a question regarding the proliferation of data center proposals in Lackawanna County. The Governor highlighted an executive order he signed weeks prior, designed to give local communities ultimate authority over development decisions within their borders. This order ensures that the Commonwealth will not consider a permit application unless the project has been endorsed by the local county or city council, effectively putting an end to projects not supported by the community.
Governor Shapiro explained that the executive order stemmed from extensive listening sessions with Pennsylvanians who desired more control over the appearance and development of their communities. He specifically cited the community of Archbald in Lackawanna County as having a significant impact on his policy thinking. There, a developer proposed a data center directly adjacent to Eddie Staebeck Park, a location where parents and children enjoy baseball.
Shapiro emphatically stated his refusal to allow such developments against community will, emphasizing that he heard local leaders' concerns about being 'bulldozed' by powerful corporate interests. He asserted that the executive order rebalances power, ensuring that if a neighborhood decides against a project, such as a data center, 'those projects are dead.'
The Governor concluded by thanking the people of Archbald for speaking up, acknowledging their direct influence on policy across the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.