Mifflin County's Data Center Fight: Farmland, Local Control and the Race for Pennsylvania's Future

The fight over farmland and data centers has arrived in Mifflin County. Illustration: The Mifflin Report Local News A last-minute development filing has intensified a growing battle over AI infrastructure, local zoning authority and the future of agricultural land LEWISTOWN, Pa. — The debate over artificial intelligence and data centers is no longer a distant fight happening in Silicon Valley or Harrisburg. It has arrived in Mifflin County. A proposed large-scale data center development near Loop Road and the Mifflin County Industrial Park has placed local officials, residents and developers on opposite sides of a growing question: How much should a community be willing to give up—and how quickly—to attract the next generation of technology infrastructure? The controversy intensified after PA Data Center Partners filed formal land-development plans shortly before Granville Township officials were scheduled to consider a temporary halt on new data-center development. That timing has become one of the central points of contention in the local debate. A Race Against the Clock Granville Township Supervisors were preparing to consider a 180-day curative amendment process intended to temporarily halt certain development applications while the township reviewed and potentially rewrote its zoning regulations. But before that process could take effect, the developer submitted its plans. For residents opposed to the project, the timing was more than a coincidence. It represented a race against the clock in which local government was attempting to establish rules while a developer was attempting to secure its position under the rules already on the books. That distinction matters. Once a formal development application is submitted, municipal officials may face significantly different legal circumstances than they would have before an application was filed. The result is a familiar question in local government: Who gets to write the rules—the community before development begins, or the developer once the process has already started? Six Industrial Buildings on Agricultural Land The proposed project reportedly calls for six large industrial structures on farmland adjacent to the existing industrial development area. Supporters point to the potential economic benefits. Project representatives have cited an estimated $22.5 million in tax revenue benefiting the county, local school district and township. For a rural community looking for economic development, those numbers are difficult to ignore. But residents living near the proposed site are asking a different set of questions. What happens to surrounding property values? What will the development sound like? How much electricity and water will the facility consume? What impact will construction and ongoing operations have on wildlife and the surrounding environment? And perhaps most importantly: Why should productive agricultural land be converted into a massive industrial facility when existing brownfield and industrial sites may already be available? Those questions have helped fuel the grassroots “No Data Center Mifflin County” movement, with opposition signs appearing throughout the surrounding area. The Hidden Cost of “Economic Development” The promise of millions of dollars in tax revenue is only one side of the equation. Large data centers can require enormous amounts of electricity and, depending on the cooling technology used, significant water resources. They can also bring increased traffic during construction, large industrial buildings, cooling equipment, backup power systems and a permanent change to the visual character of the surrounding community. For residents, the concern isn't necessarily opposition to technology. It is whether the community should accept an industrial project of this magnitude before local officials have established rules specifically designed to address the unique impacts of data centers. That distinction has become central to the debate. County Commissioners Move to Tighten the Rules The Mifflin County Commissioners have responded to the growing controversy by voting 3-0 on an emergency amendment to the county's subdivision and land-development ordinance. The changes establish additional requirements addressing issues including environmental studies, sound impacts and minimum lot sizes. Supporters see the action as an attempt to give local government additional tools to evaluate projects that may not have been contemplated when existing regulations were written. Critics, however, could argue that changing the rules after a development proposal has already entered the process raises its own legal and procedural questions. That is why the details—and the timeline—matter. From Loop Road to Harrisburg What makes the Mifflin County fight particularly significant is that it mirrors a much larger debate taking place across Pennsylvania. Data centers are becoming a major economic-development issue as companies race to build the infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other digital services. That has created a political divide over who should control where these facilities are built. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity , who is campaigning for governor, has made data-center development and local control part of her broader economic platform. Her proposals have included greater emphasis on local zoning authority, temporary development pauses and prioritizing existing industrial or brownfield properties instead of agricultural land. For residents fighting the proposed Loop Road development, those ideas hit close to home. The argument is straightforward: If local communities want time to establish reasonable rules before major projects arrive, shouldn't they have the authority to do so? Shapiro Administration Defends Development Governor Josh Shapiro's administration , meanwhile, has emphasized Pennsylvania's opportunity to compete for billions of dollars in technology investment. The administration has argued that data centers can generate economic activity, construction employment and additional tax revenue while positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in the emerging digital economy. The state has also moved toward greater reporting requirements for large data centers, including requirements involving energy and water consumption. Supporters of the state's approach warn that overly restrictive local regulations could drive technology investment elsewhere. That creates the fundamental tension: Economic development versus local control. And Mifflin County is now living that debate. The Question Residents Should Be Asking The controversy should not be reduced to whether someone is “pro-technology” or “anti-technology.” That is too easy—and it avoids the real issue. The better question is whether Pennsylvania communities have adequate rules in place before massive industrial data centers are proposed. If the answer is no, then residents have every reason to demand transparency: How much electricity will the facility require—and where will it come from? How much water will be consumed? Who pays for infrastructure improvements? What happens to nearby property values? What are the noise limits? What environmental studies will be required? How many permanent jobs will actually be created compared with temporary construction jobs? How much of the promised tax revenue will remain after the costs of roads, utilities, emergency services and other public infrastructure are considered? Those are not anti-business questions. They are taxpayer questions. A Decision Bigger Than One Development The fight surrounding the proposed Loop Road data center may ultimately become a precedent for Mifflin County. If the project moves forward, it could establish a model for future development. If local officials successfully tighten regulations, those rules could determine how—and where—future data centers are allowed. Either way, the decision reaches beyond one parcel of farmland. It is about who controls the future of development in Mifflin County. The developer has its plans. The county has begun changing its rules. Residents are organizing. And Harrisburg is watching. For the people living along the Juniata River, the question is no longer whether the AI revolution is coming. It already arrived at their doorstep. Now the question is whether local government will have the authority to decide what comes next. The Mifflin Report is an independent community resource providing local news and accountability coverage. This article covers a developing story in Mifflin County, PA.