NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — People in Westmoreland County are eager to learn more about data centers. Organizations have been holding meetings to inform the public about how they can be a part of the conversation.
“We know that this is a hot topic right now for a lot of people in these communities,” said Rose Piern with Voice of Westmoreland. “They’re confused, they’re concerned, they don’t know what their ability to change or modify things is.”
“Our job is to educate the residents so they feel empowered and know how to speak to the municipality,” said Gillian Graber, Executive Director of Protect PT.
Voices of Westmoreland County, along with Protect PT, have been helping neighbors find their voice and learn more about the future of data centers in their areas.
In May, a neighbor of Upper Burrell requested a moratorium, which pauses any development of data centers while municipalities like Upper Burrell, Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Arnold draft law around what they can and can’t do.
“These are billion-dollar companies,” said Piern. “We deserve to get something for what they are getting from us.”
According to Upper Burrell Supervisor Ross Walker III, there is construction happening at the old Alcoa data center in Building J, which is now owned by Techfusion.
“Are they allowed to do all of those updates with the moratorium in place?” asked Channel 11’s Addison Albert.
“Only in Building J. They are not allowed to use the other buildings until the ordinance is passed,” Walker said.
The moratorium expires in November. The next meeting for Upper Burrell supervisors is at 7 p.m. on August 5th at the township building
Information sessions are held here at Penn State New Kensington the last Wednesday of every month, and if you want one of these organizations to come to your Westmoreland County community, visit https://www.protectpt.org/
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