Air Products abandons plan for data center at former Upper Macungie headquarters<\/p>\n
Air Products let the appeal deadline pass, ending a months-long fight over one of the Lehigh Valley\u2019s largest proposed industrial developments.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe issue in terms of how Pennsylvanians look at data centers has evolved very quickly,\u201d Borick said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic attitudes, public perceptions, public backlash against data centers has been extreme and quickly moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
The timing also matters, Borick said. Shapiro is seeking a second term this fall against Republican Stacey Garrity, and the governor has a substantial advantage in both fundraising and public approval.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe governor, being the good political figure he is in an election year, don’t forget that, 70 days or so, is making sure that he is in line with where a Pennsylvania population is on this matter,\u201d Borick said.<\/p>\n
Shapiro\u2019s position has evolved considerably over the past year. He previously promoted Pennsylvania as a prime destination for data centers and supported incentives to attract the industry.<\/p>\n
Borick described the shift as a trajectory that has followed public sentiment.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Allentown bolsters data center regulations as city reviews second application<\/p>\n Council also changed the city\u2019s noise ordinance to regulate sound from continuously operating facilities, like data centers.<\/p>\n \u201cThink about that in one year, kind of moving from the place of let’s get them here to, yeah, they can come here, but we’re going to require certain things,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we might still give them a few breaks if they do that to the point now in the summer of 2026, where he’s issued this executive order that, as you said, in your own words, is very much using the stick and not having very many carrots.\u201d<\/p>\n The change comes as opposition to data centers has spread beyond communities directly facing development proposals.<\/p>\n Borick said local fights have helped turn data centers into a statewide political issue, while growing concerns about artificial intelligence, corporate power and electricity costs have broadened the issue’s appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s getting a lot of attention. It’s getting a lot of news coverage. People are talking about it all the time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Watch the full episode in the YouTube player above or subscribe at https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LehighValleyPublicMedia<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AllentownCityHall-77c3a35d5823bfa2a6937414a3ce4893a8169a1bbd8e8bc5f986e50151c86dca.webp\")
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