Urgent Update: New Data Centers Set to Transform Pennsylvania
UPDATE: New data centers are rapidly emerging in Pennsylvania, raising urgent concerns among residents about potential environmental impacts. As corporations like Amazon rush to establish massive data center campuses, local communities are urged to take proactive measures to safeguard their environments.
Just announced, PennFuture, a nonprofit environmental organization, has launched a series of educational videos to help municipalities prepare for the influx of data centers. These videos aim to empower communities to enact ordinances addressing vital issues such as water consumption, noise pollution, and aesthetic concerns associated with these facilities.
According to PennFuture’s website, municipalities must act swiftly to plan for this new land use. “Avoid being caught unaware, as many were during the distribution center boom,” the organization warns. The urgency is heightened by reports from Environmental Health News indicating that President Donald Trump has proposed easing environmental review requirements, potentially allowing data centers to operate with less oversight, thereby increasing risks of air and water pollution.
Data centers are crucial for modern technology, powering everything from social media to online banking. However, they come with significant downsides. Residents near existing data centers have reported severe disruptions, including constant noise akin to “being on a tarmac with an airplane engine running.” Issues such as declining property values and sleep disturbances are common, alongside environmental concerns.
Adding to the alarm, a single data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily, which is equivalent to the needs of a town with 10,000 to 50,000 residents. This extreme water usage has led to reports of dried-up wells in surrounding areas, leaving local communities scrambling for solutions.
Residents are encouraged to engage with PennFuture’s model ordinance and present it at borough, township, and city council meetings. This ordinance aims to ensure that any new data center developments prioritize the health of local ecosystems and communities.
What’s Next: PennFuture will continue releasing videos on key topics related to data centers. Upcoming releases include insights into data center power usage and economic impacts, with the first video already available.
For those looking to stay informed and involved, visit pennfuture.org/datacenters for access to resources and videos.
As Pennsylvania prepares for this new wave of data centers, the call for community engagement and environmental protection has never been more critical. The decisions made now will shape the state’s environmental landscape for years to come.
