Methodology
The Ledger's only asset is being right. This page describes exactly how information gets onto the site, what our labels mean, and what to do if we've gotten something wrong.
Where our data comes from
Every published claim traces to a citation you can check. We draw on, in rough order of weight:
- Public records — zoning applications, permits, deeds, ordinances
- PA PUC filings — including large-load tariff proceedings
- The PJM interconnection queue — the structured backbone of grid-side data
- Zoning minutes and agendas — planning commissions, supervisors, councils
- Company press releases — treated as claims by an interested party, and labeled accordingly
- Dated news reporting — from named outlets, used for context and leads
Source types are recorded on every citation (6 categories), along with the date we accessed them and a short supporting excerpt.
The human gate
Automated collection monitors these sources daily, but no automated system can publish to this site. Every change — new project, status change, updated figure — enters a review queue where a person checks it against the cited source before it goes live. Each published profile shows when it was last human-reviewed. Proposals that lack a primary source are automatically flagged and cannot be approved until one is attached.
What our status labels mean
Statuses are applied conservatively: a project keeps the lower status until the higher one is documented. "Approved" news coverage is not approval; a signed decision is.
| Status | Definition |
|---|---|
| Rumored | Credible public reporting or land activity suggests a project, but no formal filing or application is on record. |
| Proposed | A formal application, filing, or public announcement exists (zoning application, PJM queue entry, or developer announcement). |
| Approved | The controlling land-use approval has been granted by the deciding body. Does not imply construction has begun. |
| Under construction | Site work or building construction is documented as underway. |
| Operational | The facility is documented as energized and serving load. |
| Delayed | A previously active project with a documented pause, missed milestone, or announced delay. |
| Canceled | Withdrawal or cancellation is documented by the developer or deciding body. |
Confidence flags
Material figures carry a per-field flag:
- Confirmed — stated in an authoritative primary record
- Reported — stated in credible dated reporting or by the developer
- Estimated — derived by us from documented inputs, method noted
- Unverified — claimed publicly but not yet corroborated; rendered as "not yet verified"
Where a field shows "not yet verified," that is the finding: we could not source it to our standard, so we don't assert it.
Neutrality
We publish what's documented, attribute what's claimed, and flag what's uncertain. We do not take positions on whether any project should proceed. Community concerns are recorded neutrally and always attributed to who raised them — inclusion is not endorsement. Illustrative devices (like size comparisons) are labeled as illustrative.
Corrections
If you believe something on this site is wrong, use the correction form and include a supporting source. Corrections are triaged quickly; accepted corrections are fixed on the affected profile and the change is recorded in its history.
The Ledger is informational research, not legal or engineering advice.