NEPA Residents Raise Concerns Over Data Centers

In northeastern Pennsylvania, a growing debate over data centers is drawing attention from residents concerned about how development could reshape their communities.

“I grew up around the scars,” said Brian Wrightson, a rural broadband specialist from Archbald.

Wrightson recently spoke with Radio Catskill after reading reporting on proposed data center projects in the region. He is also running for Pennsylvania State Senate in District 40—a point he disclosed during the interview—but said his concerns come from his experience living and working in the area.

Lessons

For Wrightson, the issue is personal—and historical.

He describes a region still marked by the legacy of the anthracite coal industry, where economic growth once came at a lasting environmental cost.

“I could drive around pretty much any part of northeastern Pennsylvania… and see the scars,” he said.

He remembers waterways that were once heavily polluted, later restored through years of cleanup.

“But those scars are still here,” he said.

That history, he says, should guide how communities approach new large-scale development.

Industry on the rise

Data centers—the facilities that power streaming, cloud computing and artificial intelligence—are expanding rapidly.

Wrightson says their growth is unavoidable.

“Data centers are coming. They’re definitely coming,” he said.

But he says the speed and scale of that growth raise questions about long-term impacts—especially on land, water and infrastructure.

Across the Delaware River Basin, dozens of data centers are already active or proposed, and the region’s location between major metro areas makes it a likely target for more.

Who decides where they go

For Wrightson, the central issue is local control.

“If you come into my neighborhood, it’s on my terms,” he said.

He argues that large facilities should not be placed near residential areas and should instead be sited in locations that minimize disruption.

“They should never be placed next to residential communities,” he said.

He also questions whether the economic benefits often highlighted—like tax revenue—will outweigh the costs for the people who live nearby.

Calls to slow the process

Wrightson is among those calling for a pause in new development.

“I truly believe that the state itself needs to put a moratorium… even for one year,” he said.

He says that would give municipalities time to update zoning laws, coordinate regionally and prepare for potential impacts.

Without that, he worries development could spread quickly, putting pressure on natural resources and changing the character of local communities.