Advocates rally for tougher rules in Pa. on fracking
Environmental groups and residents rallied at Pennsylvania’s state Capitol for larger setback requirements between fracking wells and homes, schools and water sources. They also oppose a proposed cluster of data centers near Hanover Township that could be powered by an onsite natural-gas plant, while state regulators continue reviewing their rulemaking petition.
Environmental and community groups rallied in Harrisburg, urging the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to pursue wider protective buffers around natural-gas wells. Their petition, filed in 2024 with the Environmental Quality Board, seeks a one-kilometer setback from homes and greater distances from schools, hospitals and other facilities serving vulnerable populations; DEP says it is still reviewing the request.
The issue has gained urgency as demand for natural gas rises with Pennsylvania’s artificial-intelligence data center expansion. Hanover Township resident Katie Weber said she is concerned about a proposed data center cluster and onsite gas plant near her home. Activists have also called for a three-year data center moratorium, while Gov. Josh Shapiro has issued executive orders requiring facilities to account for the additional electricity capacity they use. Environmental advocates fear those policies could increase reliance on fracked gas, while the Marcellus Shale Coalition disputes DEP’s authority to change setback requirements through rulemaking rather than legislative action.