Halt: Capitol crowd rallies for data center moratorium
A rally was held at the Pennsylvania Capitol, led by State Sen. Katie Muth and joined by various representatives and activists, advocating for a three-year moratorium on data center development in the state. Attendees raised concerns about environmental impacts, noise, and water consumption, while also supporting a bill allowing municipalities to temporarily pause applications for zoning ordinance development. Governor Josh Shapiro's administration has also proposed "GRID standards" for responsible data center development, supporting legislation to incorporate these.
A rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol, spearheaded by State Sen. Katie Muth and supported by State Rep. Jamie Walsh and Rep. Paul Friel, called for a three-year moratorium on data center development across Pennsylvania. Sen. Muth, representing Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties, questioned the benefits of data centers, citing concerns about air and noise pollution and excessive water consumption. Rep. Walsh agreed to introduce a companion bill in the House, while the House had already unanimously voted for a bill sponsored by Rep. Friel, which included an amendment from Walsh, granting municipalities 180 days to pause data center applications to develop protective zoning ordinances.
Ginny Kerslake and Megan McDonough of Food and Water Watch were prominent speakers at the rally. Kerslake, wearing a "Project Hazelnot" shirt, voiced opposition to a proposed data center campus in Hazle Township, emphasizing the need for elected officials to protect residents from what she termed "tech and energy giants." McDonough, drawing parallels to the fight against fracking, described developers' tactics as hiding impacts, rushing processes, and courting politicians, ultimately leaving the public to suffer.
Dr. Colby Wesner from Montour County recounted how residents successfully prevented Amazon from developing a data center by stopping a rezoning attempt. Wesner, a pediatrician, also highlighted documents obtained through the state's Right to Know Law, which he claims reveal close ties between the data center industry and Governor Josh Shapiro's administration. In response, Rosie Lapowsky, a spokesperson for Governor Shapiro, stated the Governor acknowledges Pennsylvanians' concerns and advocates for "strong, enforceable standards" to ensure responsible development that benefits local communities.
Shapiro has proposed "Governors Responsible Infrastructure Development" (GRID) standards, focusing on transparency, self-arranged power for data centers, environmental conservation, and community benefits including workforce development, and his administration supports incorporating these standards into law. Annie Vinatieri of Sugarloaf Township, a "Project Hazelnot" participant, shared experiences of widespread opposition and the similar tactics employed by developers across various townships, describing the "dystopian landscape" of areas like Salem Township where Amazon is building data centers.