Coal used to be a major industry in Archbald, a small area in northern Pennsylvania. However, data centers are currently experiencing a new surge.
Six data centers have been proposed in this 7,000-person community, which is governed by a neighborhood group led by ICU nurse Sarah Gabriel and teacher Kayleigh Cornell. “It is a really nice small town,” Gabriel remarked. “It feels like home.”
According to Cornell, he simply adores it and finds it impossible to imagine being anywhere else. However, the potential effects of data centers on the environment, their electricity costs, and the town’s character worry them and others.
“It’s going to just completely change the landscape,” Gabriel remarked. Wherever there are trees, they will most likely disappear.
They are adamant, according to Cornell: “We’ll stop it if we could help it.”
It won’t be simple to stop. Demand is enormous: IT firms claim that in order to drive the AI revolution, they require these enormous, computationally powerful structures. Because of the abundance of land, water, and power in areas like Archbald, developers are racing to construct them. However, there is a growing discussion about the range of occupations and income they provide. Additionally, rising electric power rates are causing anxiety in many communities.
In Archbald, the effort to slow things down has upended local politics. Residents yelled at representatives of prospective data centers at a March 10 borough meeting, holding posters stating “No data centers,” to “get out of here.”We’ve made up our minds: go home!” One woman shouted.
An application for a campus of eighteen data centers has encountered an obstacle.
Fighting AI superpowers wasn’t part of her strategy, according to Sarah Gabriel: “We’re not against AI data centers.” However, given how nascent and uncontrolled the sector is, it is worrisome that if we continue, we will eventually reach a point of no return.”
In other places, data centers are already commonplace; there are already over 4,000 of them operating nationwide, and many more are being built worldwide.
In Loudoun County, Virginia, which is referred to as “Data Center Alley,” there are almost endless nameless, sci-fi-style buildings. One is little larger than one million square feet, large enough to accommodate two aircraft carriers.
The data center industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, according to Andy Power, president and CEO of Digital Realty, which owns and runs hundreds of data centers worldwide. He claims that the industry represents “the breakthroughs that cure new diseases, that’ll, say, essentially improve quality of life.”
When asked how he would respond to folks who do not want data centers in their areas, Power said, “I absolutely understand. Let me explain why this location makes the greatest sense for data centers. And this infrastructure will help change the world you live in today and for many years to come.”
In Washington, strong critics are demanding for a halt on data center development until Congress enacts tougher artificial intelligence laws. Last month, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the AI Data Center Moratorium Act.
Sanders expressed her concern that Congress is completely unprepared for the scope of the changes that are now occurring.
However, data centers are essential for our economy going forward, according to President Trump and many Republicans.
Senator Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, has worked to attract data center investments to his home state. He considers American leadership in AI to be the most crucial question facing the country. He believes Pennsylvania will profit greatly.
McCormick adds that data centers should work with communities rather than against them, but he wants firms to invest in his state. There must be a covenant, he remarked. There must be a guarantee from the community to people who are developing in the community about the type of jobs that will be created, how they will protect the environment, how they will protect the water supply, and how they will protect energy expenses. I believe these are quite persuasive when a town considers all of the jobs, tax income, new roads, libraries, schools, and employment opportunities for their children.
The data centers in Archbald are still developing, and Kayleigh Cornell and Sarah Gabriel have to deal with this every day. According to Cornell, “people live here because of the quality of life.” “Obviously, you need a job. However, once more, this would fundamentally alter Archbald Borough’s character.
When asked if they think they have a chance to halt it, Gabriel said, “Yeah, absolutely.” There’s nothing else we can do,” Cornell stated. “After all, it’s our house. We must battle.
