Pennsylvania Families Oppose Data Center Plan Despite $10,000 Offers

Science16 sourcesSep 29, 2026

SplitFactual rigor 51/100

The Story

A Pennsylvania developer offered households $10,000 to support a new data center, but many residents continue to oppose the plan due to concerns about its impact.

The U.S. data center boom faces mounting obstacles, including local opposition, with Goldman Sachs predicting only 50%-60% of planned data center capacity will come online in the next two years. Public opposition is driven by concerns about data centers' impact on water supplies, the cost and reliability of power, and the quality of life in host communities.

Data centers are projected to represent up to 17% of U.S. electricity demand in 2030 and as much as 20% in 2035. The U.S. data center market is experiencing unprecedented growth, fueled by the rapid adoption of AI and cloud computing, with the North America data center industry maintaining a record-low 1% vacancy for the second consecutive year.

Several U.S. states and local governments have taken actions to regulate or halt data center development. Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a halt to all data center-related permits until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas reviews the impact. Wayne County Executive Warren Evans vetoed $125 million in tax incentives for a Google-backed data center project in Van Buren Township, Michigan.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey implemented a rule stating, "Unless a community says yes to a data center, we are saying no." Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro requires developers to secure community approval for data centers. New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte proposed a moratorium on new data centers. Internationally, Malaysia approved $96 billion worth of data center and cloud computing projects between 2021 and Q1 2026, including $24 billion in the first half of 2026, and Indonesia is also seeing an uptick in investment.

What they agree on

A Pennsylvania developer offered households $10,000 to gain support for a new data center, but many residents continue to oppose the plan.
Data center projects across the U.S. are facing increasing local opposition due to concerns about their impact on water supplies, power costs, and quality of life.
Several U.S. states and local governments have taken actions to regulate or halt data center development, including permit halts and vetoes of tax breaks.
The U.S. data center market is experiencing growth, driven by the adoption of AI and cloud computing.
Data centers are projected to consume a substantial and growing portion of U.S. electricity demand in the coming years.

Where they split

The Plain Dealer / Cleveland.com and The Oregonian focus specifically on the Pennsylvania developer's offer and the local residents' continued opposition.
Utility Dive and Fast Company provide a broader overview of the challenges facing the data center boom, including labor shortages and regulatory hurdles in multiple states.
The Diplomat highlights the global expansion of data centers, particularly in Southeast Asia, with a focus on investment figures in Malaysia and Indonesia.