Michael Sauers
December 16, 2025
Last week a truly creative and organic event took place at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. Seventy statewide environmental justice, community development, and economic development organizations plus over two thousand individuals delivered timely political theater and a letter/petition to Governor Shapiro. The theater and letter/petition addressed the furious roll out of AI development in Pennsylvania. This development, like so many others, was not fully vetted by local communities who are now working overtime to understand the implications of AI, data centers and crypto-centers . This is typically how economic development plans occur in Pennsylvania.
The business groups, financial backers, trade unions, and subservient elected officials meet and plan these economic development ventures long before the general public has any inkling of what is happening. The general public is never engaged in any significant or meaningful discussion/debate regarding their economic development future. These gigantic economic scenarios are foisted on the local communities who are then forced into reactive versus proactive positions. It is a disgraceful and disrespectful approach to economic development.
The action in Harrisburg highlighted the above and demanded a moratorium on the development that is creeping across the state. Local communities need time, funding and expertise to develop/consider ballot approval, zoning, planning, land use, water use, safety concerns, environmental implications, effects on property values, traffic patterns and effects on wildlife habitat for starters. However, the primary question is whether or not a local community even wants this type of development within their borders. Up until now the promoters of this kind of development steamroll local jurisdictions with the jargon of lawyers and experts who show up at local government meetings. They are usually backed by state and federal legislators, regional economic development organizations, trade unions, associated businesses and local Chambers of Commerce all of whom are stakeholders. The general population of the community is never asked if they want this kind of development. NEVER!
So, the action in Harrisburg was/is very timely as it exposed/exposes the above from Governor Shapiro outward to other promoters. Highlighting this event were a core of statewide organizations headed by a group of talented, courageous, and determined leaders. The organizers were Karen Feridun from Better Path Coalition and No False Climate Solutions PA, Ginny Marcille-Kerslake from Food and Water Watch PA, Anneke van Rossum from Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Raina Rippel from Communitopia and Maya van Rossum from Delaware Riverkeeper Network who also inaugurated the Green Amendment movement. Backing them up were 70 organizations with equally talented leaders and thousands of supporters. Interestingly enough, Governor Shapiro has refused to meet with these leaders/groups since the beginning of his Administration. Very Shabby!
As always, I urge you to do some research. There are several news stories/reports beginning to emerge about the action.