Pennsylvania data center growth sparks political and legal disputes

Data center development has become a central issue in Pennsylvania politics as communities voice concerns over energy use, environmental impact, and local control. Governor Josh Shapiro has signed an executive order requiring developers to obtain local approval before the Department of Environmental Protection reviews permit applications. The order aims to enforce binding energy, environment, and transparency standards, effectively slowing projects that do not comply.

In the gubernatorial race, Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has criticized Shapiro’s previous support for the industry and called for a temporary moratorium on all data center development.

Local opposition is also manifesting in specific municipalities. In Lancaster, the group Lancaster Residents Against Glut and Exhaust (RAGE) is appealing the conditional preliminary approval of a second data center planned by Chirisa Technology Parks. Residents argue they have not been granted the rights to present their case to the local zoning hearing board, while legal experts note that land development appeals in Pennsylvania often move directly to the county’s Court of Common Pleas.