On April 10, 2026, FOX43 published an article titled, “Data center boom in central Pa. raises concerns over oversight, community impact,” by Sydney Nauman.
“The data centers and the tech firms knew this,” Madsen said. “They knew this is a new technology. They’re not gonna really know how to regulate this and so they just, they did an aggressive push.”
That aggressive expansion, he says, is making it harder for municipalities to keep up — especially as they face complex decisions involving energy usage, water supply, and land development.
To help residents better understand those impacts, the New Pennsylvania Project hosted Friday’s event in Harrisburg, focusing on education and civic engagement as proposals continue to emerge.
Organizer Kadida Kenner said empowering residents with information is key to ensuring their voices are heard.”