By Lauren Jessop 

(The Center Square) – As data centers multiply across Pennsylvania, so do concerns about their impact on local communities.

Legislation being drafted by state lawmakers would increase transparency and ensure local officials have the data they need to make better land use decisions and evaluate a project’s long-term viability.

State Sens. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe, and David Argall, R-Schuylkill, are seeking cosponsors for a bill that would require a pre-application meeting between developers and local officials before data center projects are formally submitted for municipal review.

Data centers represent potential economic opportunity for Pennsylvania, Brown said. However, they are also incredibly resource-intensive facilities.

She said the bill ensures municipalities have the information they need early in the process to assess whether local infrastructure can realistically support these projects and residents have facts as well.

Under the proposed legislation, any entity seeking to develop a data center in Pennsylvania must:

Request a pre-application meeting with the host municipality at least 30 days before submitting a formal development application.
Include zoning, planning, elected officials and any third-party engineers and solicitors, if necessary, in the meeting.
Provide “will-serve” letters from water, sewer, electric, and fiber infrastructure providers confirming that existing systems can support the project at full buildout, not just in phases.
Identify any anticipated impacts on local residents related to infrastructure capacity.

Brown told The Center Square the legislation could change as they work on it, but she believes it’s a good starting point.

“It’s a good thing for development, economics, conservation, and public protection – having the information is the right thing to do,” she said.

Brown said that despite the proposed legislation, it’s important for the public to understand the responsibilities local governments have in deciding where developments are located, likening it to what many communities have experienced with warehouses.

Local officials balance land use management, ordinances and constitutional fairness by allowing opportunities for all types of businesses. But protecting residents from unwanted developments in their backyards is top of mind, too, Brown said.

The Morning Call in an August story examined how Lehigh Valley municipalities are taking steps to prepare for the eventual arrival of data centers. Several townships have already proposed or adopted rules that would require data centers to be placed in areas zoned for larger buildings, as well as noise buffers.

While no data centers are currently planned for the Lehigh Valley, one had been proposed at the River Pointe Logistics Center development in Upper Mount Bethel Township before negotiations with Amazon Web Services fell through. Just outside the region, Amazon has committed $20 billion to build two data centers: one in Lower Bucks County and another in Luzerne County near the Susquehanna nuclear power plant.

Brown noted that growing demand for technology and services is fueling the need for data center development and is a complex process that is still evolving. By requiring pre-application meetings, she said, the bill would equip local governments with utility and site details early on – giving officials more time to review projects and provide clear, fact-based answers to residents.

Both senators’ teams are working to create a plan that includes both short- and long-term protections to avoid unintended consequences, while still supporting economic development, they said.

“This is about sustainable development,” Brown said. “We want to make sure that while Pennsylvania grows, our communities are not left behind or overwhelmed. This is about doing things right.”

The Morning Call contributed to this report. 

Data centers are coming, hungry for space and resources. Is the Lehigh Valley ready?

https://www.mcall.com/2025/10/10/pa-data-center-legislation/