Compilation of information regarding data centers proposed for our area, municipal zoning, county planning, state legislation and other general information.
This page will be updated whenever new information becomes available.
∎ Municipalities ∎ Lehigh County ∎ Pennsylvania (includes legislation) ∎ National ∎ General Information ∎ PA Legislator/Governor Contacts
MUNICIPALITIES
South Whitehall & Upper Macungie
South Whitehall Township will hold special meetings of the Park and Recreation Board, Environmental Advisory Council, and Landscape and Shade Tree Commission on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 (6PM to 10PM), at the location of the Parkland High School (2700 N Cedar Crest Blvd, Allentown, PA 18104) for the purpose of reviewing, discussing, and providing recommendations regarding Project Atlas (2025-109). Details
Data center developer touts economic benefits of proposed ‘Atlas’ campus; South Whitehall community pushes back, Steve Althouse, WFMZ,
July 9, 2026
Planners noted that there will be more opportunities for residents to speak before the commission is expected to take a vote on the proposal on Aug. 19.
Upper Macungie zoners reject appeal for massive data center campus on former Air Products site, Steve Althouse, Jessica Heisey, WFMZ, May 27, 2026
South Whitehall Township Commissioners Meeting (YouTube video), 5/20/26
Parkland School District discusses concerns for proposed Atlas Data Center near high school, Ellie Sileo. Lehigh Daily News, Updated Sunday, May 17, 2026
Detailed article.
Public hearing continued for proposed data center in Upper Macungie, Michael Hirsch, Lehigh Valley Press News, March 6, 2026
LEHIGH COUNTY
This information has been provided by Nadeem Qayyum, a member of the Northampton County Council.
Commissioner Qayyum gathered this information at the 2026 Annual Conference and Trade Show held by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), August 2 – 5, 2026.*
I recently attended the CCAP (County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania) conference to get the hard facts about data centers. I want to share what I learned without any political spin. Here is the raw information:
Data Centers Are Not All the Same (There are 5 Tiers)
Hyperscale (Global Giants): The massive ones (Google, AWS, Microsoft). They are 100,000+ sq ft, 100+ acres, and use over 100 Megawatts of power and millions of gallons of water daily.
Cloud Data Centers: Regional hubs (50k–200k sq ft) using 10–99 Megawatts.
Enterprise Centers: Dedicated to one organization (like a hospital or university) at 1–10 Megawatts.
Edge & Micro Centers: Very small (under 10,000 sq ft), use little to no water, and power 5G and smart city sensors.
Cryptocurrency Mining: Uses high power (10–100 Megawatts) but very little water.
Takeaway: When a developer comes to our county, we must ask: Which tier is this? Hyperscale is what drains resources. Edge centers are relatively harmless.
The “Triple Threat”: Power, Water, and Land
Power: AI workloads do not draw steady power. They create “spiky,” unpredictable surges in electricity. This can overload local grids and cause flickers or brownouts for residents. Developers are now looking to build onsite gas generators to handle the spikes, rather than relying on our public grid.
Water: Data centers can use tens of thousands to millions of gallons per day. Even with “closed-loop” cooling (which recycles water), huge amounts are lost to evaporation. The wastewater also contains corrosion inhibitors and biocides—chemicals that must be treated.
Real Example: A Google facility in New Albany, Ohio (275,000 sq ft) consumed 352.7 million gallons of water in one year—water that was taken from the public supply and evaporated into thin air.
Land & Community: They bring 24/7 noise (from cooling towers and HVAC) and light pollution (from security floodlights).
Our Local Power to Regulate (The Legal Facts)
In Pennsylvania, municipalities cannot ban data centers outright (state law forbids that). However, we have specific legal tools to control them:
Siting: We (local zoning authority) can restrict them to heavy industrial zones only and keep them out of residential areas.
Lot Size: We can set large minimum acreage. Some PA townships require 50 to 120 acres per facility. This gives us fewer, bigger projects to manage.
Approval Process: We (local zoning authority) can refuse “By Right” approval. Instead, we can require “Conditional Use,” which forces the developer into a public hearing before our elected Board of Commissioners. This gives us local zoning authority) the power to attach conditions on noise, water, and traffic.
What the State Government is Doing
The state utility commission (PUC) already ruled that any data center over 50 Megawatts must pay all their own grid connection costs. Local ratepayers cannot be forced to subsidize them.
There are active pending bills in the legislature. One would give counties a 180-day pause on applications so we can update our rules (HB 2496). Another proposes a 3-year moratorium on building hyperscale centers (SB 1359).**
The Bottom Line from the Conference: The age of data centers building with no oversight is ending. But our county needs to update our local zoning ordinances right now—before the first developer knocks on our door.
*CCAP is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing elected officials and leaders across all 67 counties. The CCAP Annual Conference and Trade Show is the Association’s premiere educational event, hosting more than 500 county members, vendors, exhibitors, guests and speakers over the four-day Conference.
** See Pennsylvania section on this page, which includes summaries of relevant state legislation
Experts told a packed room that townships have limited power to stop data centers — if a project meets legal requirements, saying no risks a lawsuit the township could lose.
And the projects headed our way are massive. Air Products wants a 2.6-million-square-foot data center complex on their old Cetronia Road property in Upper Mac. CDE Acquisitions wants six buildings — over 5 million square feet — directly across from Parkland High School. That’s five Parkland High Schools.
Neither is approved. Both face serious review problems — missing information, incomplete submissions.
The Air Products hearing is scheduled for May 27 at Upper Macungie Township.
The South Whitehall/CDE hearing was held on July 9 — check southwhitehall.com for updates. Review articles listed under South Whitehall & Macungie
Here’s the catch: because both proposals were filed before the new township ordinances were in place, they aren’t covered by the stronger protections townships have been racing to write. That’s exactly why four bills currently stalled in the PA Senate matter so much. Four data-center-related bills have passed the House and would require data centers to report water and energy use, give local governments more authority over water withdrawals, require increasing use of renewable energy, and put state regulators in charge of overseeing energy impact on the grid. Local rules alone aren’t enough when the biggest projects slip through before the ink is dry — and residents shouldn’t be left footing higher energy bills with no state oversight in place.
The good news: local townships are fighting back with smart zoning for future projects. Upper Mac led the way in December. North Whitehall, Lowhill, South Whitehall, and a dozen others have followed. Slatington and Weisenberg are using Lowhill’s ordinance as their model. Seventeen Lehigh Valley municipalities now have ordinances or are drafting them.
What you can do:
Check southwhitehall.com for the CDE/Atlas hearing dates . At the July 9 meeting, planners noted that there will be more opportunities for residents to speak before the commission is expected to take a vote on the proposal on Aug. 19. Contact your state senator (contact info under Pennsylvania)— push those bills forward Read your township’s ordinance — vague objections don’t carry legal weight Be specific: noise, water, power costs, school proximity
Lehigh County Planning Commission — Meeting Records
Additional Reading
A Drought Warning Meets a Data-Center Boom, LehighValley.com, July 13, 2026
PENNSYLVANIA
Legislation
The Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed four bills related to the regulation of Data Centers. All of these bills are currently in the Republican-controlled Senate awaiting action. Sources for related bill information are the Pennsylvania Legislature website and Legiscan.
NOTE: Republicans have controlled the PA Senate since 1994 (32 years). In fact, the last time Democrats controlled PA House was in 2010. Legislation that passes in the House is often stalled in the Senate. This year’s PA Senate race is critical for passing legislation like this in the state Senate. See 2026 Election Page for list of candidates. See Ballotpedia for party control of Pennsylvania Government. Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker provides an easy-to-read status, summary and the implication of most of these bills.
SEE GOV. SHAPIRO’S EXECUTIVE ORDER.
Passed in the House, June 24, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Bill details ∎ Legiscan Vote Rollcall ∎ PA Legislature Roll Calls Summary
Vote Summary 134 (101 D + 33 R) Yea – 68 Nay (1 D + 67 R)
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)*
* Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
Related article Pennsylvania House Passes Key Bill to Manage Data Center Growth and Challenges, Natural Resources Defense Council, June 24, 2026
An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in zoning, providing for optional moratorium on filing or consideration of new applications for high impact data centers. This allows municipalities to impose a temporary moratorium on high impact data centers for up to 18 months, giving local governments more time to review and update zoning ordinances regarding power supply, noise, water consumption, and setbacks.
This is the companion bill to Senate Bill 1345 introduced by Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-District 16).
Referred to Local Government Committee, May 27, 2026 ∎Text of Bill ∎ Track Bill
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
Bill allows allows municipalities to enact up to a 180-day pause on data center application considerations by adopting a resolution. During a pause municipalities could adopt, amend or repeal parts of their land use ordinances relating to data centers. Critically, the pause dates back to the moment the public was notified of the meeting agenda, and any application filed during the pause is subject to the new rules.
Passed in the House June 24, 2026 ∎Text of Bill ∎ PA Legislature Roll Calls Summary
Vote Summary 201 Yea – 1 Nay (Eric Nelson, R-57)
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against: no Lehigh County Representatives
Related article New bill would create critical pause button for data center development in Pa., Rep. Paul Friel, Rep. Chris Pielli, PA House SE Delegation, June 17, 2026
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
This bill aims to prevent developers from keeping information hidden from the public in data center developments and require data centers to submit a community protection plan detailing the resources they’d need to build and operate their facility.
An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled “An act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment, collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and penalties,” in computer data center equipment incentive program, further providing for definitions, for application for certification, for eligibility requirements relating to sales and use tax refund program, for notification, for eligibility requirements relating to sales and use tax exemption program and for notification and records.
Passed in the House June 30, 2026 ∎Text of Bill ∎ PA Legislature Roll Calls Summary
Vote Summary 171 Yea – 31 Nay
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Zachary Mako (R-183)*
* Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
An Act amending Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in water resources planning, further providing for State water plan and providing for covered data centers; and promulgating regulations.
Passed in the House April 27, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ PA Legislature Roll Calls Summary
Vote Summary 116 Yea – 84 Nay
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Gary Day (R-187)*
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)**
* Rachel Cuevas is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 187th district. See 2026 Election Page
** Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
This bill could provide another important tool to assist in ensuring that data centers are sited responsibly to minimize negative impacts on residents.
Passed in the House April 13, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ House Roll Call
Vote Summary 133 Yea – 68 Nay
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)*
* Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
An Act providing for annual reporting of energy consumption and water consumption by data centers; and imposing a penalty.
This measure will provide policymakers and residents with a better understanding of the impacts of the data entering industry on our water and electric grid.
Passed in the House April 13, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ House Roll Call
Vote Summary 124 Yea – 77 Nay
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)*
* Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
Fully repeals the data center sales-tax exemption, projected to cost the state $517 million a year by 2030-31. Passed 197-5, a rare bipartisan margin. The Senate passed similar language under a different bill (HB 1667) instead — so neither version alone can reach the Governor.
Passed in the House June 25, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Legiscan Roll Call
Vote Summary 195 Yea – 5 Nay
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Gary Day (R-187)
Zachary Mako (R-183)
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Milou McKenzie (R-131)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against: no Lehigh County Representatives
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
Regulation of commercial data centers; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the Department of Human Services and the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority; establishing the Data Center Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Enhancement Account and the Pennsylvania Energy Independence Account; providing for clean firm energy requirements, contract filing, commission review, disclosure requirements, backup generation standards, curtailment standards and certification and expedited interconnection for commercial data centers bringing incremental clean firm energy resources; and imposing penalties.
Passed in the House March 24, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Legiscan Roll Call
Vote Summary 104 Yea – 95 Nay + 1 Abstention
Representatives in Lehigh County
Voting in favor:
Jeanne McNeill (D-133)
Mike Schlossberg (D-132)
Peter Schweyer (D-134)
Ana Turbucio (D-22)
Voting against:
Gary Day (R-187)*
Milou MacKenzie (R-131)
Zachary Mako (R-183)**
* Rachel Cuevas is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 187th district. See 2026 Election Page
** Deirdre Kamber Todd is the 2026 Democratic candidate for the 183rd district. See 2026 Election Page
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
Bill would amend the municipality code to give municipalities the option of placing a 36-month moratorium on hyperscale data center development.
Sponsored by Katie Muth (D-PA Senate 44)
Referred to Local Government, June 4, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Track Bill on Legiscan
Related Article Data center moratoriums get support in Republican-run Senate, Ford Turner, Center Square, July 30, 2026
Bill would amend the municipality code to give municipalities the option of placing an 18-month moratorium on both unapproved and new data center applications so they can revise zoning ordinances and establish policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks
Sponsored by Jarrett Coleman (R-PA Senate 16)
Second consideration, July 12, 2026 ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Track Bill on Legiscan
Related Article Data center moratoriums get support in Republican-run Senate, Ford Turner, Center Square, July 30, 2026
Establishing the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and the Artificial Intelligence, Data Center and Emerging Technology Regulatory Sandbox Program; and providing for powers and duties of office and for permits for high impact data centers that have their own power. SB 939 would officially establish this office in statute.
The office already exists. It was created by executive order in 2023, but could theoretically be changed or abolished by a future governor. This bill encourages fast tracking data center buildout.
Amended in PA Senate Committee on Communications & Technology ∎ Text of Bill ∎ Track Bill on Legiscan
More information Penn Future PA Data Center Legislation Tracker
Governor Shapiro‘s August 18, 2026 Executive Order
Governor Shapiro Signs Executive Order Demanding Data Center Developers Comply with Strict Requirements and Blocking Speculative, Irresponsible Data Center Projects, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Official Website, August 18, 2026
Additional Reading
Data center developers are pushing Pa. government officials to sign secrecy agreements. At least some are saying yes., Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA,
Data Center Regulation (Or Not) in Pennsylvania: Part 1 & Part 2, John Quigley, Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, August 3, 2026
24,000-strong farmers’ group seeks data center moratorium amid eminent domain worries, Ford Turner, The Center Square, July 31, 2026
Pa. election 2026: Where governor candidates Garrity and Shapiro stand on data centers, Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA,
Pa. legislature wrestles with how to handle data center developments, Whitney Downard, Penn Capital Star, July 2, 2026 (Review of the bills summarized above)
Senate Committee Moves Bills Authorizing Individual Municipalities To Enact Moratoriums On Consideration Of A.I. Data Center Proposals– After Voting Down A Statewide 3-Year Moratorium, PA Environmental Digest, June 20, 2026 (Note Jarrett Coleman’s District is incorrectly identified)
Pennsylvania State House Is Working to Lower Electric Bills, Regulate Data Centers, and Advance Low-Cost Clean Energy, Conservation Voters of PA, June 17, 2026
What’s next for data centers in Pa.? State lawmakers are split on how to regulate them, Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA,
This article outlines proposed state legislation.
National Information
Trump is losing the battle with public opinion on data centers, Mara Hoplamazian of NOTUS, Spotlight PA,
General Information
From Energy Use to Air Quality, the Many Ways Data Centers Affect US Communities, Carla D. Walker and Ian Goldsmith, World Resources Institute, February 17, 2026
Contact Your Pennsylvania Legislator
PA HOUSE 132 – Mike Schlossberg (D) – (610) 821-5577
IN ULDC AREA: Townships of South Whitehall (all) and Upper Macungie (part) Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
PA HOUSE 183 – Zachary Mako (R) – (610) 760-9805
IN ULDC AREA: Townships of Lowhill and North Whitehall; and Borough of Slatington
PA HOUSE 187 – Gary Day (R) – (610) 965-9933
IN ULDC AREA: Townships of Heidelberg, Lynn, Upper Macungie (part) Districts 3, 7 and 8, Washington and Weisenberg
PA SENATE 14 – Nick Miller (D) – (610) 821-8468
IN THE ULDC AREA: South Whitehall (part — Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7)
PA SENATE 16 – Jarrett Coleman (R) – (484) 861-4964
IN THE ULDC AREA: Heidelberg; Lowhill, Lynn, North Whitehall, Slatington, South Whitehall (part –Districts 3, 6, 8), Upper Macungie, Washington, Weisenberg
Contact the Governor
Gov. Josh Shapiro Call (717) 787-2500 Text (717) 788-8990 Website Contact Page
page updated 8/8/2026