Pennsylvania Is Not For Sale

We had the pleasure of joining hundreds of fellow Pennsylvanians to support Senate Bill 1359 at Food and Water Watch’s Harrisburg Day of Action: Pennsylvania Is Not For Sale. This bill would put a three year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. If passed, SB 1359 would protect residents from corporate exploitation while forcing Pennsylvania decision-makers to do proper research to understand the impacts of data center development.

The day started outside the State Capitol, where community members gathered, some coming from as far as Allegheny, Fayette, and Lackawanna Counties. Within minutes of being there, we were met with honks from supporting passerbyers. It was nice to see people with their friends, family, and children, all coming together to protect the land that has raised them. Rally participants sang a heartfelt rendition of This Land is Your Land before heading into the Capitol Rotunda.

Once we were inside, people filled the stairs with signs that read “People over profit”, “No data centers”, “Shapiro is a sellout”, and on a banner  across the front, “PA IS NOT FOR SALE”. Ironically enough, the oil and gas industry was also set up within the Rotunda that day, so they were forced to hear the consequences of their actions. A series of passionate speakers took turns sharing their own experience with data centers and calling out the secretive and hypocritical industry that has poisoned their water, air, and land. Senator Katie Muth, who introduced Bill 1359, joined the people and spoke out to her peers. She emphasized the risks that are being taken every time a data center is built and the lack of transparency that come with those risks. Muth said,”When government fails to ask hard questions at the beginning, communities pay the price for generations. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. Not with our water, not with our air, not with our families and our communities, and not with our future, because why? Pennsylvania is not for sale."

Senator Muth passed the mic to a member of Right to Know who exposed the eagerly cooperative conversations between Governor Shapiro and Amazon. It was interesting hearing how Shapiro has basically turned himself into a lapdog for Amazon facilities. Throughout this exposition, it became obvious that there is no regard for civilian well-being. Much of the land that houses parks, families, care facilities, and farmland is being auctioned by the government that promised to protect it. In his speech, the speaker highlighted a Shapiro email that ended with, “We are fully committed to providing the highest level of service, accountability, and urgency, to meet project needs, and ensure Amazon receives timely, predictable outcomes.” That does not sound like a governor  who is committed to the people…

These rallies and discussions highlight how important it is to come together. We can not rely on our government to do what is just, rather we have to hold them accountable and fight for the future we deserve. “You can't count on one or two elected officials to do it. You have to count on everybody to get behind those officials, standing up with them, and taking the fight to those who don't want it.” It was inspiring to see the Commonwealth stand for justice. The fight is not over, but Senate Bill 1359 is a good start. Standing with my neighbors, the pressure will remain until children can go outside and not have to worry about what surrounds them, people are given full transparency, and energy and water isn’t taken at the expense of human survival.