Environmental, Health Groups Host Sept. 23 Webinar On What The A.I. Boom Means For You And Society - Big Promise Or Big Problems?

Five environmental and health groups will host a September 23 webinar on What Does The A.I. Boom Mean For You And Society - Big Promise Or Big Problems? starting at 6:30 p.m.

What does artificial intelligence (A.I.) mean for our everyday lives? How can it help or harm people? Is A.I. going to take our jobs?

These are just a few questions you may have about the rise of recent generative computing and large language model technologies, commonly referred to as A.I. 

It seems like overnight, A.I. is everywhere, data center proposals are everywhere, and the hype is only continuing to grow. 

A.I. developers are making big promises, but we know the technology also poses big problems. 

Join the webinar for a discussion of how A.I. is progressing, the limitations of the technology, A.I. use and abuse, and impacts on our environment and workforce.

The data centers that power A.I. are creating concerns for labor rights and environmental resources. 

They are also massively increasing our energy demand and creating the potential for more oil and gas infrastructure in Pennsylvania.

The webinar will feature these speakers--

-- Dane Howard, Senior Software Engineer & Machine Learning Specialist

-- Maia Woluchem, Trustworthy Infrastructures Program Director at Data and Society Research Institute

-- Mickey McGlasson, Community Data Scientist in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

A Q&A will be held at the end of the webinar, so bring all your questions.

The webinar is hosted by Food and Water Watch, Protect PT, Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, Mountain Watershed Association, and Move Past Plastic.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Resource Links - A.I. Data Centers:

-- Gov. Shapiro To Convene 13-State Summit Sept. 22 On Critical Changes Needed At PJM To Keep Energy Costs Low, Bring New Electricity To Grid, Serve Power Demands Of A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- Team PA Releases PA Energy, Data Center, A.I. RoadMap, Includes ‘Aggressively Streamlining Permitting,' Establishing Regional Permitting Commissions  [PaEN]

-- NRDC: Another Proposed PJM Plan To Deal With Massive A.I. Data Center Electricity Demands Fails To Protect Consumers, Will Increase Electricity Bills Up To $100 Billion From 2028 To 2032  [PaEN]

-- PUC Chairman: Model Tariff For Connecting A.I. Data Centers To Local Electric Grid To Be Published For Comment By End Of September  [PaEN] 

-- Guest Essay: Rewriting The Energy Story — Together - By Stephen M. DeFrank, Chairman, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission  [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republicans Introduce Bill To Eliminate Need For Any State Permits, Any Public Review Of Permits Before Construction Of A.I. Data Centers, Related Power Plants  [PaEN] 

-- PUC: Brace For Higher Electric Bills As A Result Of Soaring Power Use; Consumers Should Review Energy Options  [PaEN]

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Residential Electricity Bills ‘Begin Surge:’ Natural Gas Prices Up 71%, PJM Prices Up Due To A.I. Data Center Demand  [PaEN]

-- PJM Electricity Auction: PJM Lost 2.8 Gigawatts Of Power Due To Reduced Reliability Rating Of Natural Gas Power Plants; Could Gain 12.2 Gigawatts By Increasing Reliability From Less Than 75% Now To An Achievable 90% [PaEN]

-- 30 Stakeholder Comments Received By PUC On Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania; Increasing Natural Gas Power Plant Reliability To 90-95% Would Mean No Imminent Capacity Problem

-- PJM Electric Auction Impacts: 1 In 5 PA Households Report Problems Now Paying Energy Bills; Electric Utility Shutoffs Up 38.1% So Far This Year [PaEN]

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: Exploding Electricity Demand Already Raising Prices - Ratepayers Need Protection; No Longer An ‘All Of The Above’ Energy Strategy [PaEN]

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: It’s Deja Vu - False Promises, Dirty Power - Our People And Communities Deserve Respect  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: To Communities Facing Rapid A.I. Data Center Development: Review Your Zoning Ordinance NOW, Before It's Too Late To Have Meaningful Siting, Mitigation Conversations [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: DEP Primer: Recurring Challenges Of A.I. Data Centers: Frequent Site Plan Changes, Inconsistent Zoning, Outdated Sewage Facilities, Limited Community Outreach  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: Susquehanna River Basin Commission - A.I. Data Centers Have A Dramatic Demand For Water, And The Potential To Be Among The Largest Water Consumers In The Basin  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Gov. Shapiro To Convene 13-State Summit Sept. 22 On Critical Changes Needed At PJM To Keep Energy Costs Low, Bring New Electricity To Grid, Serve Power Demands Of A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- Team PA Releases PA Energy, Data Center, A.I. RoadMap, Includes ‘Aggressively Streamlining Permitting,' Establishing Regional Permitting Commissions  [PaEN]

-- NRDC: Another Proposed PJM Plan To Deal With Massive A.I. Data Center Electricity Demands Fails To Protect Consumers, Will Increase Electricity Bills Up To $100 Billion From 2028 To 2032  [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles & NewClips From Last Week -  September 22  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Inside Climate News - Kyle Bagenstose: The A.I. Boom Is Coming For Pennsylvania, How Will Lawmakers Respond? 

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Proposed EPA Rule Allowing Construction Of A.I. Data Centers Before Air Permits Are In-Hand Undermines Clean Air Protections, Environmentalists Say

-- NextPittsburgh: What Does Pittsburgh Gain From Becoming A Global A.I. Hub?  Residents Questioned The True Costs Of Local A.I. Development 

-- TribLive: DEP Faces Citizen Concerns About Air Permit For 4.5 Gigawatt Natural Gas Power Plant For The 3,200 Acre Homer City A.I. Data Center Complex In Indiana County 

-- DEP To Hold Sept. 17 Meeting/Hearing On Proposed 4.5 Gigawatt Natural Gas Power Plant At Homer City A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County 

-- TribLive: DEP Gives Preliminary Nod To Homer City A.I. Data Center Power Plant, But Environmental Groups Sounds Alarm Regarding Pollution

-- Scranton Times: Powering NorthPoint 1,250 Acre HazelNut A.I. Data Center: What To Expect From NE PA’s Largest Data Center Project In Luzerne County; Other Projects In Lackawanna, Schuylkill Counties  [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times: Developer Shifts Project From Warehouse To A.I. Data Center By Gas Power Plant In Jessup, Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]   [Information Obtained Thru Right To Know Request]

-- The Citizens Voice: PA Consumer Advocate To Investigate PPL’s Proposed 12-Mile Power Line Project To Feed A.I. Data Center In Luzerne County [PDF of Article]  

-- LancasterOnline: Developer Of 2 A.I. Data Centers In Lancaster Wants Judge To Block Lancaster City Zoning Appeal By Resident 

-- Utility Dive: Blackstone To Pay $1 Billion For 620 MW PA Natural Gas Power Plant In Greene County [Part Of $25 Billion Plan To Support Build Out Of PA A.I. Data Infrastructure] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Investment Firm Purchases Hill Top Energy Power Plant In Greene County To Support A.I. Data Center Development

-- Blackstone Private Equity Announced Purchase Of 620 MW Hill Top Energy Center Natural Gas Power Plant In Greene County To Power A.I. Data Center Build Out 

-- EPA Convenes A.I. Roundtable Highlighting Permitting Reform To Make US The A.I. Capital of The World 

-- Financial Times: Surging US Power Costs Defy President’s Pledge To Halve Power Bills

-- US DOE Seeks Information On How Best To Support Large-Scale Power Generation, Transmission Projects To Feed A.I. Infrastructure, Data Centers  

-- Reuters: US Launches Effort To Speed Power Grid Projects To Support A.I. Infrastructure

[Posted: September 19, 2025]  PA Environment Digest