Brian Rhone, a code officer from Salem Township, Luzerne County, participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania examining the growth of data centers in Pennsylvania. Rhone highlighted some of the challenges unique to municipalities when data center proposals are submitted, including costs to perform water quality studies, increased attendance at meetings, and traffic management during data center construction. Rhone advocated for DEP to be more transparent in their permit approval process and potentially have representatives come to township meetings, providing examples in which township residents have packed the township’s meeting space and submitted Right-to-Know Requests to the township related to DEP permit decisions that are ultimately out of the township’s control. 

Other topics raised by panelists included environmental impacts of data centers, limited tax revenue options for Pennsylvania municipalities and counties, and concerns related to power generation, capacity, transmission, and costs. Panelists provided a variety of suggestions to legislators to consider, including providing state agency resources and subject matter experts for municipalities and placing a limited moratorium on the use. Click here to view a recording of the hearing.