Halting the Nation’s Largest Proposed Fracked-Gas Power Plant
What WeUtilize
Direct Support
Developers want to transform the former Homer City, Pennsylvania coal plant into a massive AI data center campus powered by what could become the nation’s largest proposed fracked-gas power plant. This campaign supports an appeal of the project’s air permit approval, arguing regulators failed to fully evaluate the health and environmental harms facing surrounding communities.
Overview
Drivers of Outrage
In Homer City, Pennsylvania, the site of one of the state's largest coal-fired power plants is slated for redevelopment into a 3,200-acre AI data center campus. To reduce reliance on the electric grid, the project includes plans for a new 4.5-gigawatt fracked-gas power plant – the largest proposed in the nation with enough capacity to power roughly 3.2 million homes. Despite the scale and complexity of this…
17MTons of CO2 Emitted
The new fracked-gas power plant could emit more than triple the highest carbon dioxide emissions of any polluting facility in Pennsylvania (Clean Air Council).
4.5 Gigawatts of Power
The proposed fracked-gas power plant would have a total generation capacity of two Hoover Dams (Clean Air Council).
135,000NATIONWIDE PREMATURE DEATHS
Air pollution is responsible for about 135,000 early deaths per year in the United States (US State Department).
17MTons of CO2 Emitted
The new fracked-gas power plant could emit more than triple the highest carbon dioxide emissions of any polluting facility in Pennsylvania (Clean Air Council).
4.5 Gigawatts of Power
The proposed fracked-gas power plant would have a total generation capacity of two Hoover Dams (Clean Air Council).
135,000NATIONWIDE PREMATURE DEATHS
Air pollution is responsible for about 135,000 early deaths per year in the United States (US State Department).
Funding the Action
In December 2025, Clean Air Council, PennFuture, and Sierra Club jointly filed an appeal with Pennsylvania’s Environmental Hearing Board. The appeal challenges the project’s air permit, arguing that the Department relied on flawed emissions analyses, evaluated only the power plant rather than the full AI development it is intended to power, and approved the permit without demonstrating that its benefits outweigh its environmental and social costs. Expert testimony is often essential in environmental litigation, but the associated costs can be prohibitive for small nonprofits. Campaign contributions will help fund expert witnesses in air quality, climate impacts, public health, and data center economics to strengthen the factual foundation of the appeal.
Potential Outcomes
The goal of the appeal is to stop the fracked-gas plant from moving forward as currently approved and from releasing harmful air pollution into surrounding communities. Even if the appeal does not stop the project entirely, a ruling from the Environmental Hearing Board that leads to stronger air permit conditions would still meaningfully reduce the amount of pollution entering the air and lungs of nearby…
There's a lot at risk for our community – our air, our water, and even just what we, as community members, are feeling proud of. . . I really envision so much more for us and that we could do good things here – good things for each other and good things for the earth.”
The Bigger Picture
Timeline
Clean Air Council
The Clean Air Council is a member-supported environmental organization serving Pennsylvania and the surrounding regions. The Council is dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to a healthy environment. The Council works through a broad array of sustainability and public health initiatives, including public education, community action, government oversight, and enforcement of environmental laws. Established in…
Emailmembers@cleanair.org
URLcleanair.org