Data center Town Hall invite shunned by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office

Pennsylvania communities are expressing growing frustration, secrecy, and chaos over data center development proposals, prompting a Virtual Town Hall meeting that Governor Josh Shapiro's office has opted not to attend. Organizers, including the Better Path Coalition, delivered a large invitation placard to the governor's Capitol suite and made multiple other attempts to invite him, but received no direct response. Shapiro's press secretary, Rosie Lapowsky, initially questioned the invitation's receipt but later provided a statement reiterating the governor's "Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) standards". State lawmakers are actively engaged in the issue, with several planning to attend the Town Hall. Rep. Tim Twardzik (Schuylkill County) criticized developers for "bullying" communities, citing a proposed development near his home that has proceeded "totally in secret." Sen. Katie Muth (Montgomery County) advocates for a three-year statewide moratorium on data center development. Rep. Jamie Walsh (Luzerne County) plans to introduce bills to allow municipalities to establish moratoriums and repeal sales tax breaks for data center companies, with similar proposals from Sen. Jarrett Coleman (Lehigh County). While Governor Shapiro has expressed support for AI development, which requires data centers, he also acknowledges "real concerns" from communities. His proposed GRID standards aim to balance innovation with accountability by requiring developers seeking state support to meet strict expectations on transparency, environmental protection, and community impact, including providing their own energy sources and hiring local workers. However, the Legislature has yet to pass any comprehensive state law incorporating these standards. Some local governments are pursuing "curative amendment" processes to update zoning, which can create de facto six-month moratoriums.