Lehigh Valley state senator urges residents to keep up data center fight. ‘There’s power in numbers.’
State Sen. Jarrett Coleman is urging Lehigh Valley residents to continue their opposition against proposed data center projects, citing the impact public engagement has on local officials. Two specific projects are mentioned, with one in Upper Macungie Township recently rejected by the zoning board, while a hearing for "Project Atlas" in South Whitehall Township was canceled. Coleman is also co-sponsoring state legislation, including a bill to repeal a sales tax exemption for data center equipment and another allowing municipalities to enact 18-month moratoriums for zoning revisions.
State Senator Jarrett Coleman has called on Lehigh Valley residents to maintain their organized opposition against proposed data center developments, emphasizing the influence of public turnout at municipal meetings on local officials. Speaking at a telephone town hall, Senator Coleman, R-Lehigh, highlighted that strong community presence makes elected officials aware of the unpopularity of these projects, potentially impacting their re-election prospects.
Coleman's 16th District, which covers parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties, is grappling with two significant data center proposals: one at the former Air Products headquarters in Upper Macungie Township and another, known as Project Atlas, near Parkland High School in South Whitehall Township. The Upper Macungie zoning hearing board recently rejected the Air Products-related proposal, though an appeal is anticipated. Concurrently, a planning commission hearing for Project Atlas was canceled, with potential rescheduling in July or August.
Senator Coleman, who is running for re-election, has positioned himself as a strong opponent of data center development. He is co-sponsoring two state Senate bills: SB 1344, aimed at repealing a 2021 sales tax exemption for data center equipment, and SB 1345, which would empower municipalities to impose an 18-month moratorium on new data center applications to allow for zoning ordinance revisions. Both bills are currently in committee.
Environmental impact and high energy consumption emerged as key concerns among town hall callers. Coleman suggested data centers are better suited for less populated states. Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, Coleman's Democratic opponent, also supports a data center moratorium but stressed that effective solutions require a more nuanced approach to municipal zoning and addressing the profitability for utility companies from data center energy use.