1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing as a Pennsylvania resident to strongly oppose the continued expansion of large-scale shipping and logistics warehouses — including large Amazon fulfillment and distribution centers built next to residential neighborhoods or on previously productive farmland. Across Pennsylvania, communities are watching agricultural land and open space converted into massive industrial distribution facilities with little regard for long-term consequences. These warehouses often operate around the clock, bringing heavy truck traffic, diesel emissions, noise pollution, light pollution, stormwater runoff, and significant road degradation. Once farmland is paved over for industrial use, it is effectively lost permanently. The cumulative impact on nearby neighborhoods is substantial: • Increased truck congestion and road safety risks • Air quality deterioration from diesel exhaust • Noise and light intrusion affecting quality of life • Strain on local infrastructure and emergency services • Depressed property values in adjacent residential areas While warehouse development is frequently framed as economic growth, many of these facilities rely on tax incentives while creating relatively low-wage, high-turnover jobs. Meanwhile, local governments and residents absorb infrastructure costs and environmental burdens. Pennsylvania should not sacrifice agricultural preservation, environmental health, and neighborhood integrity for unchecked logistics expansion. I urge you to support: • Stronger statewide zoning protections for farmland and meaningful residential buffer zones • Mandatory traffic, environmental, and stormwater impact studies prior to approval • Minimum setback requirements between warehouses and homes • Limits on tax abatements and subsidies for large out-of-state corporations • Enhanced protections for preserved farmland and agricultural districts Industrial warehousing is not inherently inappropriate — but its placement and scale matter. Rural landscapes and residential communities should not be treated as convenient industrial overflow. Please prioritize long-term land stewardship and community protection over short-term development pressure. Pennsylvanians deserve thoughtful planning and enforceable safeguards before irreversible land conversion occurs.