Environmental groups last week called on Gov. Josh Shapiro to dial back his support for development of artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Data center proposals around the state have been championed by Shapiro and lawmakers as needed investment with job-creating potential. But the environmental groups note that in most cases, data centers are greeted with opposition from neighbors who worry about the impact of the projects on their air and water and property values.

Shapiro has repeatedly touted his efforts to make Pennsylvania a national leader in fostering AI development. He has also proposed the creation of a statewide energy siting board to more quickly make decisions about awarding permits to large-scale projects.

Shapiro spoke about the controversy over AI development at an event in Washington, D.C. He cast the issue of AI development as a national security issue and asserted that it’s better that the U.S. takes a leading role rather than allow China to do so.

He said that Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to host data centers. Pennsylvania has the resource to generate the power the data centers need due to the Marcellus shale natural gas that is prevalent in southwestern and northern Pennsylvania.

“I think the most important thing we need to understand is, as Americans, we should want this built on our soil. Now, it doesn’t mean that, as it’s being developed, that we can just ignore public health and public safety and environmental regulations and protections,” Shapiro said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his press office. “I view this as a national security issue. It can be done in a way that protects public health and safety. It should be American companies leading on AI, and it should be happening here on American soil, not in China.”

Protesters dressed as robots last week held a mock AI job fair to highlight the concern that data center projects won’t create long-term jobs after they are completed. The groups, led by the Better Path Coalition and No False Climate Solutions PA, submitted a letter to Shapiro with their concerns. Karen Feridun, co-founder of the groups hosting the event, said close to 70 groups and more than 2,000 individuals added their names to the letter.

“Governor Shapiro is making the same mistake Governor Rendell made when he ushered the first generation of fracking into the state more than 20 years ago without considering potential adverse impacts,” said Karen Feridun, co-founder of the Better Path Coalition and No False Climate Solutions PA. “This time, Shapiro is in a rush to bring the latest generation of fracking here in the form of data centers that will be powered predominantly by fracked methane.”

Feridun noted that while Shapiro has “boasted” about data center projects for Amazon, the company has already announced it’s cutting 14,000 jobs and plans to avoid hiring to fill 600,000 other positions because the work will be done by robots.

“It’s very concerning about what is going to happen to people’s jobs and what they’re going to do for a living,” she said.

Ginny Marcille-Kerslake, Senior Organizer Food & Water Watch, said that in most cases, when data centers have been proposed, community members have immediately expressed opposition.

“They are showing up in unprecedented numbers to municipal meetings, again and again, night after night, filling rooms to overflowing, staying for hours to have their voices heard,” she said.

Even so, data center developers have been successful in acquiring property and beginning development over neighbor’s objections by paying premium prices for land.

Due to the number of data center proposals emerging, “quite frankly, it’s like drinking from a firehose right now,” she said. “These communities are not AI-ready.”

Rather than set up a process to expedite approval of large energy projects, the state should put a moratorium on new data centers until local leaders can get adequate zoning ordinances in place to cope with the projects, she said.