OUR STANCE
L.C.O.P. is here to speak for the families in this valley who are tired of being treated like an industrial experiment and for those who are no longer here to speak for themselves.
Our community is riddled with cancer; our rates are significantly higher than both state and national averages. We have spent decades as a dumping ground for industrial negligence.
The Specialty Records/WEA/Cinram Toxic Legacy:
For more than 30 years, the facility reported substantial emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reaching nearly 100 tons in 2001. Our concerns extend beyond the air. Former workers have described chemicals being buried or dumped in nearby woods, mine areas, and Sterry Creek. Those accounts demand a thorough investigation of the soil, water, and sediment, and of whether contamination may be reaching nearby homes through groundwater or vapors entering basements. The building has been gone for years, but the funerals haven't stopped. We are still losing loved ones and neighbors to late-stage cancers and organ failure caused by this toxic debt.
We have already endured the lead-saturated soil of the Marjol Battery site, the toxic emissions from the fourth worse polluter in Pennsylvania in the Jessup Power Plant, and we currently live in the shadow of Pennsylvania's Largest Landfill which looms over our landscape as a constant reminder of environmental negligence. Add to that the legacy of Mine Fires, smoldering beneath the ground and symbolizing yet another chapter of environmental harm our region continues to bear.
We have carried more than our fair share of the state’s toxic burden. To now propose massive data centers that strain our resources is an insult to a community still coping with the poisons of our past. Data centers are among the most energy-intensive buildings in the world. To manage the heat generated by thousands of processors, many data centers use evaporative cooling systems. This process involves consuming millions of gallons of water daily.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. OUR HEALTH IS NOT FOR SALE.
Our history is a timeline of industrial tragedy, and we refuse to add another chapter. For over a century, Northeast PA has been a place where companies with deep pockets break the rules and leave the local residents to bury the dead.
BY OPPOSING THESE DATA CENTERS, WE ARE FINALLY BREAKING THAT CYCLE.
STOP PRIORITIZING PROFIT OVER PEOPLE.
OUR CONCERNS
M𝗼𝗿𝗲 C𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 E𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 I𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Taken together, the long industrial history of the former 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬/ 𝐖𝐄𝐀/ 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, the documented lead contamination associated with the nearby 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐨𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞, emissions from the 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐩 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭, and ongoing concerns about 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 leachate and legacy industrial waste have raised serious concerns for us at L.C.O.P. about the 𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 facing Lackawanna County residents.
We are particularly concerned because much of the area sits above 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬 that can potentially act as pathways for contaminated groundwater, industrial vapors, methane, and volatile and metallic organic compounds (VOCs & MOCs) to migrate above ground during data center construction.
We fear that large-scale redevelopment projects, including proposed data center construction requiring deep excavation, pile driving, drilling, and blasting 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬.
Concerns have specifically focused on chemicals historically associated with the 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬/ 𝐖𝐄𝐀/ 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 in the area, including 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 (𝐓𝐂𝐄), 𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 (𝐏𝐂𝐄), 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐲𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦, 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐭, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 linked in toxicology literature to elevated cancer risks and long-term health impacts.
We worry that disturbing 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 could potentially increase the movement of toxic vapors or contaminated dust into surrounding neighborhoods through mechanisms such as 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.
For many in our community, these concerns are amplified by the unusually high number of former Specialty Records/ WEA/ Cinram employees and local residents reportedly affected by cancer and chronic illness over the past several decades.
As a result, we argue that far more comprehensive environmental investigation, long-term monitoring, public transparency, and independent health review should occur before additional large-scale industrial redevelopment proceeds in a region already burdened by mining, manufacturing, landfill activity, and industrial contamination.
𝐖𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠, 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐅 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝.
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𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗵
When Senator Katie Muth was asked about the possibility of becoming governor, she responded:
“𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
Here are some of her accomplishments:
𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Senator Muth introduced SB 1359, calling for a mandatory three-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers and associated infrastructure, including new power plants. She has also introduced SB 453 and SB 454 to close Pennsylvania’s hazardous oil-and-gas waste loopholes and require stronger testing, tracking, and disposal protections for potentially toxic and radioactive drilling waste. She also introduced SB 455 to close the leachate loophole, addressing radioactive drilling waste disposed of in landfills and helping prevent contaminants such as radium from entering wastewater and drinking water.
In 2021, Senator Muth was one of only four Pennsylvania senators who voted against the legislation that established the current sales-tax exemption for data center equipment.
𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 - A Superfund site is a severely polluted location that poses a major health risk and is cleaned up under a federal program.
Did you know a developer can build on contaminated land without first removing all the contamination? That should alarm every community: digging could expose workers and neighbors or spread pollution if the risks are not identified and controlled before construction begins. Senator Muth says she is preparing proposals that would require water availability studies and address cleanup requirements before contaminated Superfund sites are developed.
Her concern is that development can move forward without a requirement to fully remediate every contaminated site before construction begins. Muth wants stronger safeguards before developers disturb contaminated land.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 - Senator Muth introduced SB 1114 as part of an effort to require large data centers to pay the infrastructure and energy-system costs they create rather than shifting those costs onto Pennsylvania families and small businesses.
On data centers directly, Muth introduced SB 1385, which would prevent data centers from obtaining public utility status.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 -Senator Muth introduced bipartisan SB 622 to improve direct reimbursement for emergency medical service providers, helping ensure ambulance and EMS agencies are paid more directly for the services they provide and SB 623 to expand recognition and protections for emergency dispatchers and public-safety telecommunicators by including them within PA’s emergency responder framework. She introduced SB 563 and SB 564 and co-sponsored SB 565, seeking a long-overdue cost-of-living adjustment for retired Pennsylvania teachers, school employees and state workers.
𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 - Senator Muth serves as Minority Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee and has consistently advocated for veterans to receive the benefits, services, healthcare, and support they have earned.
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 -Senator Muth's office has helped announce millions of dollars in state funding for fire and EMS services, public safety, parks, transportation, sewer infrastructure and other community projects throughout her Senate District 44.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗜𝗻
For L.C.O.P., this decision is based on the candidates’ records on data centers, not their party labels.
Governor Josh Shapiro spent much of his first term actively courting large-scale data center development. In June 2025, he celebrated Amazon’s $20 billion Pennsylvania data center investment and provided those projects with fast-tracked permitting. His administration also continued operating within Pennsylvania’s existing sales-tax exemption for qualifying data center equipment.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲:
On 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, records obtained through a Right-to-Know request showed the public pressure was working! Communities were appealing permits, challenging zoning decisions, showing up, speaking out, and making enough noise that 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝.
In other words, We the People were making it harder for them to steamroll communities and they knew it. Even worse, 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. Think about how disturbing that is: one of the richest corporations in the world, with virtually unlimited legal resources, was frustrated that regular people could still afford to challenge them that they said to make it costlier for us to fight back.
Then, 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝟏𝟐 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟏𝟖, perhaps the most disturbing: additional Right-to-Know records confirm that 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐨’𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐃 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭, allowing the very industry being regulated to suggest what should be added, removed, or changed. So, who exactly is this protecting?
Then, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟏𝟗, 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 $𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐨.
Meanwhile, Shapiro’s executive order only applies to 𝐅𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 data center projects, making it a great PR move heading into an election while doing nothing to stop or meaningfully change the massive projects already approved or moving forward.
Yes, it removes expedited approvals for “data centers” but at the same time, it creates an expedited pathway for the power plants and energy infrastructure needed to serve them. So while the data center itself may no longer be “fast-tracked” under that label, the massive power infrastructure supporting it still can be. This is what "bring your own power" means.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬.
That is exactly why communities need to pay attention to what is happening in places like Archbald, PA, where the concern is no longer just the data center campus itself, but the additional power-generation infrastructure being proposed alongside it.
And we do not view 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 as the answer either. Garrity herself was initially just as enthusiastic about Pennsylvania attracting data centers, publicly argued that Pennsylvania needed to “deregulate,” and described rural parts of the state as potentially ideal locations for data centers.
She has since taken a more critical position as public opposition has grown. She has also criticized Shapiro for accepting money connected to data center interests while accepting $10,000 from an Archbald data center developer herself.
That is why L.C.O.P. is looking beyond the two major-party choices. Senator Katie Muth’s record on this issue gives us a fundamentally different option: 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞-𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝.
𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐈𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲
This is what the ballot will look like, although the layout may vary slightly depending on where you live.
If you choose to write in Senator Katie Muth, please make sure you 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 so your vote can be properly recorded.
Every vote matters, and with a write-in campaign, following the ballot instructions carefully is especially important.
National Attention
An Indiana based, Louisiana based, and New York City based publications are writing about what is happening right here in Lackawanna County. The focus is on the massive number of proposed data centers, backup generators and related power infrastructure, and the concern that these projects are being reviewed one at a time instead of looking at their combined impact on our air, our health and our communities.
When media outlets hundreds and thousands of miles away are paying attention to the cumulative risks facing our valley, our own local and state officials should be paying attention too. Lackawanna County is becoming a national example of why communities need answers before allowing an entire region to be transformed by data center development.
Indiana News Article
LINK: The Data Center Showdown in Lackawanna County
This article recognizes the passion of local residents and organizations who have come together to protect their neighborhoods, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life. What began as a local concern has grown into a powerful community-driven movement focused on transparency, accountability, and responsible development.
New York City Article
LINK: When Data Centers Cluster Together, How Dirty Are They? One County Wants Answers. – DNYUZ
As opposition grows nationwide to the pollution caused by data centers and the immense power plants they require, officials in Lackawanna County said they hoped their approach might set a new precedent for how proposals are reviewed in other communities.
Louisianna News Article
LINK: Data center pollution debate shifts from individual projects to cumulative risks
In Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, where more than a dozen data centers and fossil-fuel-burning power plants are proposed, officials are taking an unusual approach by studying the cumulative effects of the projects before approving them individually.