Despite the perceptions that data centers operate in somewhat of a regulatory “gray area,” they are subject to regulation. Unfortunately, the legal frameworks surrounding this industry remain fragmented, site-specific, and quickly evolving as our various bodies of government attempt to respond to the industry’s rapid growth.
Electricity bills around the United States are skyrocketing. (CNN). In Pennsylvania, household electricity prices have shot up nearly 50 percent over the past five years. (Inside Climate News). Ratepayers in Ohio and West Virginia have also experienced dramatic price increases. Low and middle-income households have had a hard time keeping up. (Pa. Capital-Star). In 2025, nearly 290,000 Pennsylvania households had their electric service disconnected for falling behind on their payments — a 14 percent increase from 2024. (Pa. PUC).
Losing electric service can harm physical and mental health. (ABC News). In the most extreme cases, disconnection can result in homelessness or death. (Nature). To “keep the lights on,” families may forgo food, medicine, child care, and other basic needs. (Pa. Capital-Star).
Given the stakes, it’s important to understand how electricity prices are set, why costs are going up, and, most importantly, what we can do about it.
When I moved to Virginia after college in 2016, I wanted a quiet neighborhood to call home, close to work and family. After the data center arrived, everything changed. I can’t bring myself to leave, even though I no longer see myself starting a family here. Over the past decade, I’ve built a support network, advanced my career, and remained close to relatives who depend on me. Every weekend, I watch my nephews, who go to the local elementary school just down the road. They notice the changes too, though they cannot comprehend their implications. Now, I feel stuck and unsure what to do.
Environmental justice exists because Black communities have always organized for clean air, safe water, healthy homes, and dignity. From fighting toxic dumping to defending land, housing, and public health, Black environmentalists have shaped the movement—often without recognition. We must thank Black leaders for addressing the interconnection between civil rights, labor safety, housing, and environmental health—their advocacy continues to shape how environmental law understands equity, participation, and accountability today.
Check out this blog for some fun resources, including a zine to print and share with your community!
Residents throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, are raising the alarm as new data centers, warehouses, and industrial facilities move in rapidly leading to public concerns surrounding noise, water, and power-usage. How is this happening so fast? Too often, municipalities approve these developments through quiet but completely legal rezoning processes. Many communities are left wondering: Can zoning rules really be changed that easily? Why don't we know about it? How can we get involved before final decisions are made? How does this work, and is there anything I can do about it?
Here's how the zoning process works, how municipalities change their zoning maps and codes, what the legal requirements are, and how you can better advocate to protect your community from these unwanted changes.
During this crisis people have been spending more and more time in nature, that’s great! We hope that folks are building new bonds with nature and, hopefully, inspiring new vigilance towards protecting it. At Fair Shake we are lucky to work with so many groups doing the hard work to lay the dirt paths that we are all enjoying. So we want to dedicate some love to them. In this blog post we’ll tell you about the “trials” behind the trails you love!
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it would be suspending all enforcement of environmental protections. The full announcement can be read here.
Most people don’t think of estate planning as a tool that can be used for the environment, but they would be quite wrong. Estate planning is not only a great way to invest or to avoid headaches and hassles for your family after you pass away, but it can be a way to support the things you believe in long after you are gone.
The Allegheny County Health Department and United States Steel recently finalized their consent decree for violations of the Clean Air Act and the terms of the resulting Community Benefit Trust. The communities of the Monongahela Valley of Southwestern Pennsylvania who are impacted by the settlement have been long awaiting any information about the environmental trust. To provide better access to these funds, I have reviewed the terms of the environmental trust carefully and broken down its important facets as follows:
We are proud to announce our newest partnership with the William Penn Foundation, to create the very first Waterways Access Guidebook for the Delaware River Basin!
Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services in partnership with Clean Water Action, Women for a Healthy Environment and the Clean Air Council will be holding two free legal clinics to provide critical information and 1-on-1 time with an attorney for some 5600 residents who may unknowingly be involved in a class action lawsuit against U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works.
