Data center regulation bills advance out of Pa. House

Lawmakers in the Pennsylvania House have advanced bipartisan bills aimed at regulating data center development across the commonwealth. The proposed legislation includes two main components: the creation of an optional model zoning ordinance for local municipalities to guide data center construction and a mandate for annual reports from data center facilities detailing their water and energy consumption. These measures directly address public concerns regarding the significant electricity and water usage by hyperscale data centers. Separately, in Sharon, City Manager Bob Fiscus was asked to provide reassurances to resident Kathy Testani concerning a proposed local data center project.