Shapiro restricts data centers, New Jersey expands solar, & more

Photo by Chelsea on Unsplash

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

Governor Shapiro restricts data center development. Shapiro, who had once supported data center construction in Pennsylvania, is now restricting development by requiring projects to get approved at the local level before acquiring state permits. The executive order also removes all data centers from a fast-track permitting program and reinforces projects’ adherence to Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment. The administration anticipates legal pushback. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Data centers may lead to higher PECO bills. Computers have always been a drain on the energy grid. Data centers that power artificial intelligence, however, use an unprecedented amount of energy. As the grid is mainly powered by ever-dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, competition can also drive up prices. The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA bus expands to Navy Yard. SEPTA bus route 45 is now serving the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. This is part of a larger system change to revamp the entire bus network, leading to some routes being extended with others facing cuts or shortening. Workers and companies are looking forward to the change at the Navy Yard. WHYY

Camden nonprofit adds shade and greenery to bus stops. The Camden-based nonprofit Neighborhood Collaborative Community Gardens has been working to add more trees and greenery to Camden’s streets for years. Now, they are also building “blooming bus shelters” throughout the city: or pergola shelters with vegetation like bright flowers and watermelons. More greenery curbs the heat island effect, cleans the air, and helps prevent stormwater runoff. WHYY

New Jersey launches new farm and solar program. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved 16 projects for dual-use agrivoltaics, which puts solar panels above or among crops and grazing areas on farmland. This ensures that farms remain operational and can pair solar generation with crop production. This was the first solicitation of its kind in New Jersey.

Cover photo: Photo by Chelsea on Unsplash

Angie Bacha

Angie Bacha (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based solutions journalist and recent Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalisation student in Aarhus, Denmark. Previously, she worked as a student journalist at Community College of Philadelphia and Editorial Intern at Resolve Philly. Some other hats she has worn: Human Rights and Theatre Studies graduate; teaching artist; carpenter; AmeriCorps volunteer; and rock climbing gym shift supervisor.