Pennsylvanians use town hall meeting to rail against data center boom
Summary
Residents in Pennsylvania expressed strong concerns about the rapid growth of data centers during an online town hall meeting. They said data centers cause rising electricity costs, use large amounts of water, create noise pollution, and change rural areas. Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed rules to control data center growth while supporting economic benefits.Key Facts
- About 225 people attended a two-hour online town hall focused on opposition to data centers.
- Over 20 speakers criticized data centers for causing higher energy prices, heavy water use, noise, and rural changes.
- Pennsylvania has nearly 60 data centers proposed, approved, or under construction.
- The Facebook group "Pennsylvania Data Center Resistance" grew from a few dozen members to over 12,000 since January.
- Polls show mixed opinions: one found 38% support and 35% oppose data centers, while another showed 68% oppose data centers for AI in their community.
- Governor Shapiro proposed new rules requiring data centers to provide their own power or fully fund their energy use and infrastructure.
- Shapiro’s administration says they want to balance economic benefits with environmental protection and community impact.
- Some activists criticized lawmakers for passing a bill requiring a model to address data center concerns but feel the state has not been transparent.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.