PA news outlet is reporting on data centers so boondoggles must be imminent in the state house.
Spotlight PA's newsletter headline: AI data centers are fueling electricity demand.
Spotlight PA's newsletter linked to some stories about Pennsylvania including this one:
AI boom drives states to offer big incentives for data center development - by Associated Press | June 2, 2025 The explosive growth of the data centers needed to power America's fast-rising demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing platforms has spurred states to dangle incentives in hopes of landing an economic bonanza, but it's also eliciting pushback from lawmakers and communities. (...) In Pennsylvania, lawmakers are writing legislation to fast-track permitting for data centers. The state is viewed as an up-and-coming data center destination, but there is also a sense that Pennsylvania is missing out on billions of dollars in investment that's landing in other states. "Pennsylvania has companies that are interested, we have a labor force that is capable and we have a lot of water and natural gas," said state Rep. Eric Nelson. "That's the winning combination. We just have a bureaucratic process that won't open its doors."
If there’s an AI boom, why do these companies need taxpayer handouts?
We better have a bureaucratic process that won’t open its doors to boondoggles that wreck the living circumstances of our communities.
We were warned. And I've been writing my reps from local up to national against this bullshit. Unfortunately Rep. Rob Bresnahan is obviously fully invested in data centers and wants them.
Big Tech's AI Blackmail State and local data center extortion is going national. Pat Garofalo Dec 18, 2024 In response to the rapid growth of data centers in recent years — those large facilities that hold the plumbing necessary for businesses to store and manage their data — residents of many communities have stepped up to voice their concerns about the inevitable downsides of data center construction, which include noise, high energy and water use, and environmental degradation. These protests have occurred across the country, from Virginia to Arizona to Massachusetts. In rare instances, those local residents have been joined by state legislators or other local leaders. More often, though, elected officials roll out the red carpet for Big Tech data centers, lavishing them with public subsidies and other regulatory favors.
Here's another letters to my reps:
Nobody voted for these AI tech “solutions” that are obviously going nowhere because none of this chatbot stuff doesn't actually work as advertised. I’m not sure why politicians are falling for this and failing to see this nonsense for what it is. If there’s an AI boom, why do these companies need taxpayer funded handouts? Trying to sell us on data centers and such saying “it creates jobs” is the most blatant obvious lie because AI’s whole hype marketing is based on promising companies they can do an "AI jobs apocalypse" where people will lose their jobs en masse. You can’t have it both ways. So which is it? Does it create jobs or cut jobs? Either way I don’t want the data centers making communities unlivable like has happened in other places. We want coal burning to end, and we sure don’t want these plants burning tires. Government officials should feel embarrassed and angry that these people are trying to trick and scam y’all with their AI hype & false promises looking for taxpayer handouts that are going to ensure you lose your elections because you've sold out your neighbors.
And I've been sending postcards.
Here's where I keep an updated list of my links related to this topic: https://chloehumbert.substack.com/i/160841620/these-are-my-other-posts-on-data-centers-ai-and-cryptocurrency-many-including-my-letters-to-reps-about-this-issue-and-links-to-the-many-reporters-and-experts-and-local-news-stories-updated-may
