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Data centers and their pros and cons was one of the topics of questions fielded by a federal lawmaker who held a tele-town hall this week.
With a data center proposed in Muncy Township, Lycoming County, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, representing the 9th Congressional District, took a question from a woman in Luzerne County, home to multiple operating data centers, and considered an emerging hub for massive new "hyperscale" data center developments. Hyperscale data centers are those occupying at least 100,000 square feet and consume massive amounts of energy. The data center proposed in Muncy Township shows a floor area of about 699,574 square feet across three planned buildings.
No questions to Meuser were from constituents in the Greater Williamsport area, but the many topics, including one on data centers, are pertinent to his district which includes 12 counties.
Eating up farmland
The caller expressed worry that such data centers being developed throughout the district were "eating up" farmland, which was a prime source to provide locally-grown produce, which meant lower prices at local farmer's markets and local grocery markets.
Meuser listened and responded by agreeing with her that farms and landowners need to be protected and saying that "1 % of the population feeds 100 % of the people."
Notwithstanding the protections needed for agriculture and farms, Meuser said in the case of data centers that he would prefer and favor local approval and not having them shoved down the face of his constituents by billionaire corporations. He said landowners come first, communities come first and that projects should move forward only when they "truly add value and do no harm."
He also said "quality of life" should come first when considering new developments.
In Luzerne County, the primary driver of this boom is the county's energy infrastructure – specifically the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, the nuclear power plant in Salem Township.
China's misinformation campaign
Switching gears a bit to what the data center development means for the nation's security and economy, he noted how China is “doing its darndest" to ensure Pennsylvanians and most Americans are getting "untrue information" on data centers, which he claimed was a fact because he said he confirmed that disinformation/misinformation campaign by China through his connections with the Central Intelligence Agency.
He noted how President Donald Trump is a "builder," and believes that data centers should go where there is a best fit. This might include brownfield locations and "quarries" that are not used and exploring other locations where it makes sense.
Meuser said, as the president does, data centers in proper locations can provide that municipality – whether a city, township, borough or village where the zoning is right – with big bucks or revenue that can help with the community's school districts, firehouses, road construction, as examples.
Data centers can be a revenue source and neighbor for the communities where they are located.
Meuser said he could agree with 80 % of Gov. Josh Shapiro's protective measures and promise from his administration on private data center developments, however he also supported gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity's "level-headed" approach rather than what he called Shapiro's "knee-jerk reaction" on data centers.
Supportive of colleague's bill
Meuser told the audience he was a co-sponsor on U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. ‘s bill that data centers must be controlled by the local jurisdiction, not state and certainly not federal.
Bresnahan, a Republican representing the 8th District, introduced the Local Control Protection Act, legislation to curb large corporations' ability to litigate and attempt to overturn local decisions regarding data centers and ensure approved developments maintain a benefit to the community.
Like Bresnahan, Meuser said he does not support allowing billion-dollar corporations to supersede the voices of those who live in the community. The act is designed to protect municipalities and counties from being sued in federal court by developers for denying data center applications. The protection would apply when the denial is based on documented findings, concerns about public health, infrastructure, community character, water, or similar concerns. Additionally, the legislation bars federal agencies from approving permits related to the construction or operation of a data center if the developer has initiated or is maintaining legal action in any court seeking to challenge or overturn a local zoning denial.
If a community does vote to approve a data center development, and the developer seeks federal incentives to build, the act would require the project to demonstrate a real benefit to the community. The legislation requires a publicly filed, legally enforceable community benefit agreement for projects, including a road, water, and utility infrastructure mitigation, environmental and noise monitoring protocols.
Each agreement must also include a type of public workforce plan requiring developers to prove they recruited and hired from the region before bringing in outside labor, partnered with local apprenticeship programs, career and technical education centers, and community colleges to train the workforce, and gave local contractors and subcontractors first consideration whenever qualified firms are available.