Data Center Invasion
Why Is This Happening?
The Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) states municipalities cannot legally exclude a use that complies with all local land use ordinances, policies and permitting requirements. Data Center developers are taking advantage of gaps in our local planning code to push these massive, harmful projects into our communities without any guardrails to protect our people and environment. Read on to learn more about these gaps and see whether your Township is covered.
How Do We Defend Ourselves?
Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) empowers municipalities to plan their development and to govern it through zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances (SALDO) and other ordinances.
What Is Zoning?
Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) grants municipalities the ability to divide the map into different sections for different purposes such as Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Agricultural, and even mixed use zoning. This zoning keeps loud factories out of quiet neighborhoods while still allowing residents to have a home business. This defines where a data center is allowed to be built.
What Is A SALDO?
Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) grants municipalities the authority to establish rules, regulations, and standards for land subdivision and development. By defining design standards they protect the municipality, ensure a decent quality of life, protect natural resources, and help the municipality attract investment in homes and businesses. This defines how a data center is allowed to be built.
What About The Executive Order?
On August 18th, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order that removed data centers from the "Fast Track" initiative to speed up development, banned NDAs around data centers, and required developers to follow the "GRID" standards for tax breaks. It may slow down the invasion somewhat, but it does not create any standards to meet all of the concerns about data centers. Zoning and SALDO are the tools we have to control the development standards that a data center must comply with.
Are We Covered?
If a town lacks zoning, and the SALDO lacks language for data centers, then a data center developer has options for size and location, avoiding ongoing concerns around data centers. If a town has zoning, and the SALDO contains language for data centers, then a data center developer is limited in where and how they can build a data center in this town. The invaders will always choose the path of least resistance, and zoning and SALDOs are our shields of resistance.
In Susquehanna County, there is a specifically defined ordinance for data centers. However, Wayne County has no defined ordinances for data centers. I researched each municipality in both counties to identify whether zoning or SALDOs exist and, if so, whether they include language for data centers.
Note: I maintain this, so the information may be out of date. Please contact kyle@pennsylvaniansoverprofits.com with any questions or corrections.
Unzoned - This Municipality has no defined zoning
Zoned: Unknown - This Municipality has defined zoning but I was unable to review it
Zoned: No Data Center Language - This Municipality has defined or draft zoning with no instances of the phrase "data center"
Zoned: With Data Center Language - This Municipality has defined or draft zoning with data center language
TBD - I have yet to be able to identify if an ordinance exists
No SALDO - This Municipality has no defined Subdivision and Land Development Ordinances
SALDO: Unknown - This Municipality has a defined SALDO but I was unable to review it
SALDO: No Data Center Language - This Municipality has a defined or draft SALDO with no instances of the phrase "data center"
SALDO: With Data Center Language - This Municipality has a defined or draft SALDO with data center language (note: this is specifically around presence of, not quality of, data center language)
What Do We Do Next?
We tell our state representatives, state senators, and governor that we want more state level protections to help our small towns fight off this invasion. We tell our congressional representatives and US senators that we want federal protections to help our small towns fight off this invasion. We tell all candidates on the November ballot, including me, that fighting the data center invasion is on the ballot this November!
We attend town meetings to offer supervisors help in drafting ordinances that fend off the data center invasion. Make your voice heard at your town's monthly meeting, and ensure we use the power of zoning and SALDOs to maintain our way of life.
