ARCHBALD, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Governor Josh Shapiro made a surprise stop in Archbald Wednesday, bringing statewide attention to growing concerns surrounding multiple proposed data center developments in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The visit comes after months of community meetings, legal challenges and public concern over the potential impact large-scale data center campuses could have on neighborhoods, infrastructure and natural resources in Lackawanna County.

Governor Shapiro visited Representative Kyle Mullins’ office and toured parts of the community, including Staback Park, where some residents fear future construction could dramatically alter the landscape surrounding homes, recreational areas and waterways.

Residents who met with the governor say the visit focused heavily on the scale of the projects proposed in Archbald and surrounding communities.

“It felt like a very productive introductory conversation to open up dialog regarding concerns,” said Archbald resident Michael Pilch.

Pilch said residents discussed concerns surrounding electricity demand, water consumption, noise, pollution, lighting and the cumulative effect of what has been proposed.

“We talked about the cumulative effects of 51 data center buildings and 1,500 diesel generators mentioned and their testing schedules. What would our air quality be? With 1500 backup diesel generators running simultaneously to save the grid,” Pilch said.

Pilch also said discussions included ongoing legal challenges and zoning concerns in Archbald.

“One of our conversations was discussing the existing legal challenges, various ones going on in Archbald regarding the zoning, and he was looking at putting more power and control in local municipal government,” Pilch said. “Hopefully that will also impact all the projects in Archbald that have been proposed.”

Representative Mullins said the governor’s firsthand look at the area was significant.

“We were able to impress upon the governor the scale of the proposed sites here in Lackawanna County and Archbald sort of as the epicenter,” Mullins said. “Until you hear from residents as he did today, until you drive through the area and understand the lay of the land, the sheer scale of what is being proposed surrounding us is almost hard to comprehend or believe.”

Mullins said Governor Shapiro walked through portions of the park and reflected on the impact development could have on surrounding recreation areas and neighborhoods.

“He shared his experience as a father standing against the fence at his kids’ ball games and his initial thoughts as he traveled through the park just to envision how that development will encroach,” Mullins said.

The governor’s visit also comes as Pennsylvania rolls out new Responsible Infrastructure Development, or “GRID,” Standards for large data center projects seeking support from the Commonwealth.

According to the Shapiro administration, the standards are intended to create safeguards for communities while establishing expectations for developers before projects receive state incentives, fast-tracked permitting assistance or tax benefits.

In a statement, Governor Shapiro said:

“I’ve heard directly from Pennsylvanians who are worried about the impacts data center development could have. That’s why we’re putting clear standards in place to protect our communities and hold developers accountable.

If developers want our support, they’ll need to:

1. Pay for their own power generation — not pass those costs on to consumers.

2. Work with the community and provide real transparency into their plans.

3. Hire and train local workers, creating at least 250 new jobs.

4. Commit to minimizing their air pollution & water consumption while protecting our environment.”

One of the largest concerns raised by residents has been the impact data centers could have on electric grids and utility rates.

Under the GRID Standards, developers would be required to pay for the additional energy infrastructure needed to support their projects rather than shifting costs onto ratepayers.

The standards also require projects to secure new or incremental power generation to match their energy demand and include increasing percentages of clean energy over time.

Developers would also be required to build facilities in a “solar ready” manner for buildings larger than 100,000 square feet.

The standards also place significant emphasis on public disclosure and community outreach.

Developers would need to notify local governments early in the planning process, hold public meetings and provide detailed reports outlining: Building size and acreage, estimated electricity demand, water consumption and water sources, wastewater discharge information, air emissions and energy sourcing, and power and water efficiency metrics.

The standards would also require developers to disclose which entities will permanently occupy the sites.

Mullins said transparency has been a big issue and now one of his bill’s is aiming to change that.

“There’s nothing binding them to explain just how much power and water they will be using,” Mullins said. “So my legislation requires them to publicly disclose and report those amounts.”

To qualify for state support, developers would also need to commit to at least $250 million in new investment, create at least 200 construction jobs and create 50 permanent jobs paying at least 125 percent of Pennsylvania’s average wage within four years.

The standards encourage the use of local labor, apprenticeship programs and skilled workforce development initiatives.

Under the GRID Standards, developers would need to outline sustainability plans detailing how they will reduce energy and water consumption. Projects would also be encouraged to use zero-emission backup power systems or cleaner generator technologies with stricter emissions controls.

Additional protections would apply for projects located near environmentally sensitive areas or high-quality watersheds.

While the standards are not a direct approval or denial of any specific project, residents and local officials say the governor’s visit signals the state recognizes the magnitude of what communities like Archbald are facing.

Mullins said the goal moving forward is to help municipalities better prepare for future proposals.

“We are trying to as quickly as we can arm our local government across Pennsylvania with the tools to get their zoning and planning and ordinance in order so we could perhaps avoid some of the deluge or inundation that people are feeling in Lackawanna County,” he said.

Members of community groups including the Archbald Neighborhood Association and Stop Archbald Data Centers stressed they do not believe the proposed GRID Standards go far enough to address the scope of projects already proposed in the borough. Residents noted that six proposed data center campuses totaling 51 buildings and more than 1,400 diesel generators in Archbald are still moving forward and are not part of the GRID program. They say they hope future conversations with the governor’s office will lead to stronger protections for neighborhoods, schools, parks and homes located near proposed development sites.