Environmental advocates call for data center moratorium in Pennsylvania Capitol

Environmental advocates are pushing for a statewide moratorium on data center development in Pennsylvania, citing concerns about environmental impacts, community strain, and grid capacity. On Tuesday, groups including the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Food & Water Watch Pennsylvania delivered nearly 2,000 signatures to Governor Josh Shapiro's office in Harrisburg, urging action and inviting officials to a "People's Town Hall" to hear resident concerns. Anneke van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network highlighted varied community harms, from water issues to the rezoning of agricultural land for industrial use. This advocacy coincides with recent actions by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which issued new guidelines requiring data centers to fund grid upgrades, and the Pennsylvania House, which passed bills on clean energy use and water consumption reporting for data centers. Despite Governor Shapiro's "GRID" plan and legislative efforts to implement "guardrails," advocates argue these measures are insufficient. State Representative Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a moratorium in the divided legislature, suggesting a focus on regulating existing developments. However, Ginny Marcille-Kerslake of Food & Water Watch Pennsylvania reiterated the call for a three-year pause to allow municipalities and the state to establish robust protections against the strain of over 50 proposed data center developments.