This session will provide a foundational understanding of how data centers operate, their energy and water demands, and the broader implications for sustainability and equity. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and advocacy opportunities to help shape responsible data center development in our communities.
When you register for the Data Centers 101 webinar, you’ll have the opportunity to opt into our 2026 Policy & Advocacy Committee meetings. These monthly gatherings are a great way to contribute your expertise and help shape impactful resources, testimony, and research that inform legislation and programming in our region. We’d love to have you join us in the new year! If you’re interested, simply click the “select all” button during registration to sign up.
Robert Routh is an attorney and advocate working to advance decarbonization efforts in Pennsylvania across the power, buildings, industrial, and transportation sectors. His particular areas of focus include the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), wholesale electricity market design in PJM Interconnection, and the equitable and efficient implementation of IRA/IIJA funds. Prior to joining NRDC, Routh served as a policy and regulatory attorney for Clean Air Council. He previously clerked for two federal judges of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Routh holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School. He is based in Philadelphia and attached to NRDC’s Washington, D.C., office.
