Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro came under repeated criticism Tuesday during a Capitol rally calling for a statewide moratorium on data center development, with speakers accusing his administration of being too closely aligned with Amazon and the technology industry.
Colby Wesner, a member of Concerned Citizens of Montour County, said public records requests related to a proposed Amazon-linked data center in his community showed “how incredibly cozy our governor and his administration are with Amazon and the data center industry.” He criticized what he described as a lack of transparency surrounding the project.
The rally reflected growing grassroots opposition to data centers, which supporters say are essential for artificial intelligence and other digital technologies but critics argue consume excessive electricity and water while benefiting from tax incentives.
Megan McDonough, Pennsylvania director of Food & Water Watch, compared the expansion of data centers to the state’s fracking boom, arguing the facilities will increase demand for gas-fired power plants and expose communities to additional environmental and health risks.
State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery), a leading legislative opponent of data center expansion, renewed her call for a three-year statewide moratorium through Senate Bill 1359. She argued Pennsylvania has failed to establish safeguards protecting residents from potential environmental and public health impacts and warned that history shows communities bear the long-term costs when industrial projects move forward without adequate oversight.
Muth also linked rising electric bills to infrastructure needed to support large-scale data centers, saying ordinary utility customers could end up subsidizing transmission and distribution costs.
Several speakers warned the issue could affect Shapiro’s reelection campaign this fall, with some citing bipartisan opposition to projects in their communities.
Shapiro’s Republican challenger, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, has criticized the Amazon agreement as a “sweetheart tax deal” and called for a pause in data center development while communities update zoning rules.
Shapiro spokesperson Rosie Lapowsky said the administration is working with House Democrats to establish enforceable standards governing data centers and blamed Senate Republicans for blocking legislation. She said the governor supports strong protections for communities and proposed voluntary GRID standards because he believes the state should establish clear guardrails for future development.
Shapiro did not directly respond to questions about reconsidering the Amazon project or supporting a statewide moratorium.
Source: PA Capital-Star