In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - August 3

Here are Articles and NewsClips on A.I. and data center issues from last week you may have missed--

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Endorses Statewide Moratorium On A.I. Data Center Development Amid Eminent Domain, Farmland Preservation Worries  [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - August 3  [PaEN] 

Energy Costs

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Average Cost Of Electricity In PA Jumped 14.6% Over Past Year, Total Average PA Electricity Bill Has Increased 20.6% Since 2024  [PaEN]

-- FYI: -- A.I. Data Center Legislative Scorecard: Pennsylvania Failed To Finalize Meaningful Legislation On Energy Affordability, To Increase Electric Generation And Give Communities The Tools They Need To Cope With A.I. Proposals [PaEN] 

-- Erie Times/USAToday: Pennsylvania Electric Bills Rise 20% In 2 Years [Driven By Surge In Power Demands From Data Centers]

-- Warren Times Editorial: Rising Electricity Rates Keep Shocking Customers

-- PA Capital-Star: Leftover Low-Income Energy Assistance Funds Used To Give PA Enrollees $100 Supplemental Benefit In Face Of Spiking, Data Center-Driven Energy Costs 

-- PJM Interconnection Proposes One-Time Backstop General Capacity Auction In September With A $555/MW-Day Cap On Prices - Nearly 71% Higher Than Current $325 Cap  [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: FirstEnergy’s Mon Power, Potomac Edison Plan To Assess A Surcharge On Their Ratepayers To Help Finance $2.7 Billion In Generation In West Virginia For A.I. Data Centers

Legislation

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Endorses Statewide Moratorium On A.I. Data Center Development Amid Eminent Domain, Farmland Preservation Worries  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: State Lawmakers Denied Entry To Talen Energy/Amazon Data Center In Luzerne County

Grid

-- PJM Interconnection Proposes One-Time Backstop General Capacity Auction In September With A $555/MW-Day Cap On Prices - Nearly 71% Higher Than Current $325 Cap  [PaEN]

-- Spotlight PA: PJM, Power Grid Can’t Handle A.I. Boom Demands As Summer Heat Triggers Emergency Orders

-- The Shenandoah Sentinel: PPL Follows Through With Threat, Begins Eminent Domain Proceedings For Grid Improvements Paid For By Ratepayers To Feed Proposed A.I. Data Center In Luzerne County 

-- TribLive: State Spending $6 Million To Support GE Vernova Expansion Of Manufacturing Critical Grid Infrastructure For The Booming A.I. Data Center Industry

-- Utility Dive: Exelon ‘High Probability’ A.I. Data Center Load Falls 40% As Exelon Weeds Out Speculative Projects 

Generation

-- Scranton Times: PPL Corp, Blackstone Spend $40.4 Million To Purchase 500 Acres In Jenkins, Plains, Salem Twps. On Possible A.I. Data Center Power Plants In Luzerne County

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: More A.I. Data Centers Will Mean More Shale Gas Fracking In PA; These Advocates Want Better Health, Environmental Protections For Citizens

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Restart Continues Checking Boxes, Stoking Fears

-- WITF: Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Restart Progresses Thru Environmental Review, Public Comments; Former DEP Official Concerned About NRC Inspection Staff Numbers

-- PA Capital-Star: Concerns Persist As Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Progresses Toward 2027 Restart

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Westinghouse Nuclear Technology Company Files To Become Public Company [Riding Hope Of Nuclear Power Renaissance With A.I. Data Centers]

-- Utility Dive: FirstEnergy’s Mon Power, Potomac Edison Plan To Assess A Surcharge On Their Ratepayers To Help Finance $2.7 Billion In Generation In West Virginia For A.I. Data Centers

Land Use

-- The Center Square: State Lawmakers Denied Entry To Talen Energy/Amazon Data Center In Luzerne County

-- Scranton Times: Olyphant A.I. Data Center Opponents To Hold Aug. 2 Information Night To Unite Residents, Address Misinformation 

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Dallas Township Amends A.I. Data Center Ordinance To Reduce Setback Requirements

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Salem Township Pauses New A.I. Data Center Projects Pending Zoning Amendment 

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Information On New A.I. Data Center Developer In Ransome Twp. Disappeared; As Elusive As Stephen King’s ‘Langoliers’-- Ravenous, Faceless Entities

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Bear Creek Twp. May Expand Industrial Zone Into Residential Areas To Accommodate A.I. Data Centers In Luzerne County

-- Scranton Times: PPL Corp, Blackstone Spend $40.4 Million To Purchase 500 Acres In Jenkins, Plains, Salem Twps. On Possible A.I. Data Center Power Plants In Luzerne County

-- The Shenandoah Sentinel: PPL Follows Through With Threat, Begins Eminent Domain Proceedings For Grid Improvements Paid For By Ratepayers To Feed Proposed A.I. Data Center In Luzerne County 

--LehighValleyLive: 754 Acre Site In Lower Mount Bethel Twp., Northampton County Targeted By Talen Energy, Developer For 23 Data Center Pad Locations 

-- Morning Call: Project Atlas A.I. Data Center Discussion Bumped From Aug. 13 South Whitehall Twp. Meeting Agenda, Rescheduled For Sept. 23 In Lehigh County

-- Morning Call: Allentown Nonprofit That Works With Terminally Ill Children Files Zoning Challenge Against Proposed A.I. Data Center Plans In City Of Allentown

-- Morning Call: Here Are Lehigh Valley Communities That Have Or Are Considering A.I. Data Center Ordinances

-- Morning Call: As A.I. Data Center Boom Continues, Bethlehem Becomes Latest Lehigh Valley City To Consider Ordinance

-- North Pocono CARE, Pocono Heritage Land Trust Host Aug. 1 Hike At Barton Brothers Property That Abuts Proposed A.I. Data Center Site In Lackawanna County  [PaEN] 

-- Republican Herald: Butler Township Sets Aug. 18 Special Hearing On Proposed 600 Acre A.I. Data Center In Schuylkill County

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Is Building An A.I. Data Center On A Superfund Site Safe?  In East Whiteland Twp., Chester County; Will It Be Cleaned Up Enough To Be Built On?

-- Inquirer: East Whiteland Twp. Officials Allow Work To Resume On Federal Superfund Site A.I. Data Center Site In Chester County

-- WHYY - Zoe Read: ‘We Will Not Be Bullied:’ Plymouth Township Pushes Back Against Developer Or Proposed A.I. Data Center In Montgomery County 

-- Inquirer: Plymouth Township Officials In Montgomery County Say A.I. Data Center Developer ‘Bullied’ And ‘Intimidated’ Them, He Says That’s A ‘Bold-Faced Lie’ Bringing Legal Challenge To Local Zoning 

-- Yahoo! News: Upper Merion Township Residents Are Revolting Against A Massive A.I. Data Center Proposed By Real Estate Speculator In Montgomery County 

--Vista.Today: East Whiteland Twp. A.I. Data Center Construction Halted Over Superfund Site Concerns In Chester County

-- Inquirer: What’s Next For The East Whiteland A.I. Data Center Site In Chester County

-- Courier Times: Falls Township, Bucks County To Enact A.I. Data Center Zoning Regulations

-- TribLive: Gilpin Township Weighs Zoning Changes Targeting Future A.I. Data Centers In Armstrong County 

-- TribLive: East Deer Twp. Passes Zoning Amendment To Regulate A.I. Data Centers In Allegheny County

-- Observer-Reporter: North Strabane Twp. Hires Consultant For Data Center Ordinance In Washington County

-- WPXI: Organizations Look To Discuss Impacts Of A.I. Data Centers With Residents, Request Pause On Developments In Westmoreland County 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Closes On Purchase Of 650 Acre Shippingport Property, Former Site Of Bruce Mansfield Coal-Fired Power Plant ​

-- Pittsburgh Media Partnership: Pennsylvania A.I. Data Center Proposals Map

Local Regulation

-- TribLive: Data Center Dash: A.I. Data Center Industry Expands Hopes In Western PA, But Its Future Remains Uncertain

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Concerned Citizen Involvement Is Vital In Addressing A.I. Data Center Projects And There Are Many Ways To Get Involved

-- PennLive Guest Essay: A.I. Data Center Are Coming To PA, Here’s How Watts Twp., Perry County Can Protect Itself While Benefiting - By Jim Enders, Member Plumbers, Pipefitters Local 520 [Who Construct These Facilities And Move On, Rarely Living With The Consequences - Although Enders Says He’s From Perry County]

Federal Regulation

-- The Guardian: US Environmental Groups Urge EPA To Reject New PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ To Cool A.I. Data Centers

-- EPA: Promoting Data Centers, ‘Safeguarding Communities’ By Exempting Power Plants Not Connected To The Grid [And Serving Data Centers] From Acid Rain Clean Air Act Requirements 

-- WIRED: President’s EPA Wants To Change Public Engagement Rules For Polluters, Requiring Little Or No Public Notice To Benefit Gas Power Plants, Data Centers

Impacts

-- Environmental Health Project Blog: Strategies From The Front Lines - How Communities Fight Data Centers - One Person's Experience From Springdale, Allegheny County

-- The Water Center, University Of Pennsylvania: Research Examines Case Studies On The Local Impact Of A.I.- Driven Data Center Growth In PA And Water Use, Energy, Communities  

Public Participation/Meetings

-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permit For Fill, Utility Lines Related To Aligned Data Centers Project, Shippingport Boro & Raccoon Twp., Beaver County  [PaEN] 

-- PA Data Center Hearings & Meetings - Physicians For Social Responsibility PA

Politics

-- Spotlight PA: Where Governor Candidates Garrity, Shapiro Stand On Energy Costs, The Environment, More 

-- PennLive: Republican Candidate For Governor Garrity Uses Farm Plan To Knock Data Centers, Distances Herself From President’s Tariffs 

-- Scranton Times: Republican Candidate For Governor Garrity Calls For Protecting Farmland From A.I. Data Center Development At Ag Roundtable

-- City & State PA: Q/A With PA US Sen. Dave McCormick - Data Centers, Other Issues

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: Democratic Candidate [Cognetti] For PA Swing Congressional Seat Targets A.I. Data Centers To Oust Republican [Bresnahan]

-- Scranton Times: Republican Con. Bresnahan Calls For Local Control Of A.I. Data Center Development 

--  Capital & Main: In Pennsylvania, The A.I. Data Center Wars Hit The Ballot Box; Voters Angry About Rising Electricity Bills

-- PA Capital-Star: Pro-Data Center Industry Group Behind Ad Campaign In Oregon, Pennsylvania And 5 Other States

-- AP: Democrat’s TV Ad Uses Data Centers In Effort To Oust PA Republican Congressman

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: Democratic Candidate [Cognetti] For PA Swing Congressional Seat Targets A.I. Data Centers To Oust Republican [Bresnahan]

-- Scranton Times: Republican Con. Bresnahan Calls For Local Control Of A.I. Data Center Development

-- Bloomberg: Backlash Over A.I. Data Centers, Energy Costs Tests Republican Hold On Ohio 

A.I./Data Center

-- Wall Street Journal: Facebook’s Zuckerberg Says US Should Accelerate A.I. Development, Not Restrict It  [PA US Sen. McCormick’s Wife Facebook Vice Chairman Developing A.I.]

-- Financial Times: Facebook’s Zuckerberg Says US Should Not Ban Chinese A.I. [PA US Sen. McCormick’s Wife Facebook Vice Chairman Developing A.I.]

-- AP: Anthropic Says Its A.I. Models Hacked 3 Organizations During Testing; Just Days After ChatGPT Said Its A.I. Hacked Another Company

[Posted: August 2, 2026]  PA Environment Digest