PA Legislators: No Fast-Track Deal for Data Centers

Another attempt is being made in Harrisburg to advance H.B. 2151, a bill that would silence local opposition to data centers. It comes as communities across Pennsylvania have been fighting back fiercely against data centers, blocking projects from moving forward and passing local laws to stop them before development can begin.

Urge your state legislators to defend local opposition to data centers and vote NO on H.B. 2151!

H.B. 2151 would authorize the state agency concerned with advancing development to write a model data center ordinance and put it in Title 53, the legal basis for how municipalities operate in Pennsylvania. This same agency has been working hand-in-hand with Amazon and other Big Tech to fast-track data centers.

Big Tech should not be writing laws for our communities. Send an urgent message to your legislators!

Your Message

{contact_data~salutation}

Please oppose H.B.2151, Community Standards for Data Center Development. The recent amendments do nothing to significantly approve it

This bill would fast-track dangerous data centers by amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally), the legal basis for how municipalities operate in Pennsylvania, in order to advance a state-driven model zoning ordinance through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

Pennsylvania is threatened by an onslaught of data center proposals that would guzzle our water, drive up electricity bills, disrupt our communities with noise and light pollution, threaten local jobs, worsen climate pollution, and more.

DCED is an economic development agency. Its role is to attract and facilitate development - not to safeguard zoning integrity or protect residents from threats like data centers. To make matters worse, DCED has been working hand-in-hand with the data center industry behind the scenes to advance and fast-track their developments across Pennsylvania.

Allowing the same agency that actively works to recruit and support this industry to craft statewide guidance on data center ordinances raises questions about transparency, conflicts of interest, and whose interests are truly being served.

This legislation is not needed. There is currently nothing stopping DCED from writing a model ordinance for data centers and distributing it to municipalities statewide through its already existing network.

Finally, the state, and DCED in particular, should not be deciding what is reasonable in ordinances. And while the bill states that it is not mandatory for municipalities to adopt the model ordinance, there is the very real potential that this model ordinance could undermine municipalities that put stronger protections in place.

I strongly urge you to reject H.B. 2151 to protect Pennsylvanians from data centers.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address 1} 
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Ghost Zip Code}

Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

Your Information

Your elected officials may require the contact information below in order to receive your message.

Title

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Street Address

City

State

Zip Code

Mobile/Phone

By providing your email address, you consent to receive updates about urgent food, water, and climate issues from Food & Water Watch. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Yes, sign me up to receive digital communications about urgent food, water, and climate issues. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Yes, sign me up for recurring text messages from Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP to quit.

C3 Affiliation