1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to reject your proposal to expand data center development in Pennsylvania, as announced in your February 4, 2026 budget address. While your Responsible Infrastructure Development standards (GRID) attempt to mitigate harm, the fundamental problems with data centers cannot be solved through regulation alone. Data centers have already caused measurable damage to communities nationwide through increased air pollution, water scarcity, and rising electricity prices for consumers. PJM Interconnection, our region's grid operator, has reported that these energy-hungry facilities have narrowed the gap between supply and demand, leading to increasing costs and potential future blackouts. Pennsylvania residents should not bear these burdens. Your claim that data centers can generate their own power or pay for additional grid draw ignores the reality that our electricity infrastructure is already strained. Even with Pennsylvania producing 240 million megawatts last year as the second-largest energy producer in the country, adding massive new demand will inevitably drive up costs for residential consumers and small businesses who cannot negotiate special rates. As Megan McDonough of Food & Water Watch stated, it is "outlandishly paradoxical" to name affordability and data centers as priorities simultaneously because "the two cannot exist together." David Masur of PennEnvironment noted that lawmakers are trying to "have their cake and eat it too" by pursuing this industry while claiming to address community concerns. The proposed $15.8 million increase for the Department of Environmental Protection to handle permit reforms signals an expectation of significant environmental impact requiring oversight. Rather than investing in infrastructure to support data centers, Pennsylvania should prioritize renewable energy development that benefits residents directly, protects our environment, and keeps electricity costs affordable. I urge you to abandon this proposal and instead focus on economic development that does not threaten our grid stability, environment, and utility bills.