\u201cI just signed an executive order a few weeks ago that in effect puts local communities in charge of deciding what\u2019s going to happen in their communities. The commonwealth won\u2019t even consider a permit application unless and until the local community endorses that project and it\u2019s been signed by their county counsel or city counsel, or what have you. And I want to tell you that the genesis of that executive order was a result of me listening to people across Pennsylvania who wanted to be able to dictate what their communities look like,\u201d\u00a0Shapiro said. \u201cThere was one community in particular that had probably the most impact on my thinking on this issue, and that was the community of Archbald. When I went up to Eddie Staback Park and I saw what one of these developers wanted to do on the left-field line where parents should be enjoying watching their kids play baseball, they wanted to put a data center right where those parents should be enjoying their kids, I said, \u2018No way. We\u2019re not going to let this happen.\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n
Shapiro continued: \u201cWhen I saw, and listened to, local leaders feel as though they were getting bulldozed by developers, and they were losing power to these big powerful corporate interests, I said, \u2018No way.\u2019 And so we rebalanced that equation. We put local communities back in charge of what was going to happen in their communities. If a neighborhood decides this is something they want, then we will entertain that. But if a neighborhood decided they don\u2019t want this in their communities, those projects are dead. And the people of Archbald, I want to say thank you for speaking up. I heard you and you impacted policy all across our commonwealth.\u201d<\/p>\n
The crowd of about 125 people applauded.<\/p>\n
Some of the new rules in the data-center executive order would do the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022Direct the Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate permit applications from proposed data centers \u201conly if developers have made a legally binding commitment to meet GRID Requirements and have received local approval.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Prohibit state agencies from entering into nondisclosure agreements regarding data center proposals.<\/p>\n
\u2022Remove all AI data center proposals from Shapiro\u2019s \u201cFast Track\u201d permitting process established nearly two years ago under a different executive order that aimed to speed up large-scale economic development and infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n
Shapiro signed the PA Permit Fast Track Program in November 2024 at an event in Hazleton at NorthPoint Development\u2019s Hazleton Logistics 141 Project Building off the Arthur Gardner Parkway. At that time, another NorthPoint initiative, \u201cProject Hazlenut,\u201d entailed creating a data center campus on the west side of Interstate 81, north of the Humboldt North Industrial Park in Hazle Twp.<\/p>\n
Other data center proposals soon started cropping up in 2025 throughout the region, including in Lackawanna County. Many data center proposals in the state are speculative in nature, such that many developers do not have tech companies on board or lined up to fill the facilities.<\/p>\n
Over the last year-and-a-half, Lackawanna County emerged as a hotbed for largely speculative data center development encompassing thousands of acres and more than a dozen proposed campus projects. Though some developers have shifted plans to fewer buildings with bigger footprints, the county has around 90 proposed data centers, previously peaking at close to 100. Multiple proposals are tied up in litigation.<\/p>\n
Archbald has became a particular focus of a large number of data center proposals and opposition. Concerns here and beyond generally have evolved since early 2025 from getting steamrolled and paved over with massive data center campuses, to anticipated huge demands for electricity and water for cooling that would strain existing systems, to noise and air pollution from large numbers of diesel generators that data centers also will require.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued its annual Electric Power Outlook Report that projects data centers and related power plants could cause a nearly 19%-a-year jump in demand statewide for electricity over the next five years. The PUC forecasts residential and commercial electricity demand to grow modestly through 2030, but industrial use driven primarily by anticipated large-load customers to increase by a whopping average of 18.56% annually.<\/p>\n
The state describes Shapiro\u2019s data-center executive order as laying out \u201cstrict requirements that data center developers must meet regarding energy affordability, community engagement, workforce and economic development, transparency and environmental protection.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Maura](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-STABACK-0815-01.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n
Maura Staback, daughter-in-law of the late state Rep. Ed Staback, is organizing a \u201cStaback Park Stand Strong 5K\u201d in October to raise money for the Stop Archbald Data Centers movement\u2019s legal fund. (CHAD SEBRING\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-ESSENTIAL-0820-2-rotated-1.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n
A woman holds a \u201cNO DATA CENTERS\u201d sign during a conditional use hearing for the Essential Energy LLC power plant at the Valley View High School auditorium in Archbald on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
![\"\u201cNo](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-DATA-0422_3-1.jpg?w=620\")
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\u201cNo Data Centers\u201d signs along North Main Street in Archbald on April 20, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
![\"Residents](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-GREEN-0620-1.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n
Residents hold up signs opposing data centers during a conditional use hearing at the Valley View High School auditorium in Archbald on Thursday, June 18, 2026. (FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
![\"\u201cNo](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-DATA-0422-1.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cNo Data Centers\u201d signs along Lawrence and Spring streets in Archbald on April 20, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.thetimes-tribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-DATA-0422_2-1.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n
A \u201cNo Data Centers\u201d sign along Kennedy and Altier drives in Archbald on April 20, 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD \/ STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n
Show Caption<\/p>\n
1 of 6<\/p>\n
Maura Staback, daughter-in-law of the late state Rep. Ed Staback, is organizing a \u201cStaback Park Stand Strong 5K\u201d in October to raise money for the Stop Archbald Data Centers movement\u2019s legal fund. (CHAD SEBRING\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n