Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity calls for pause on data center development

Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate and current State Treasurer, Stacy Garrity, has advocated for a pause in data center development across the state. During a listening session with local and state leaders in Butler County, Garrity emphasized the need to protect ratepayers and ensure sufficient local input in such projects. She stated that a pause should last "however long it takes" to gather all stakeholders and establish necessary protections.

Garrity also voiced strong criticism of the recently passed GRID (Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards) legislation in the Pennsylvania House, now awaiting review by the Senate Finance Committee. This legislation aims to require developers to submit applications detailing how projects would safeguard energy affordability, the environment, and foster economic development, offering tax benefits for those who meet the criteria. Garrity argued that these standards, despite claims of fighting for community input, do not adequately address existing concerns or previously granted tax deals for data centers.

In response, Manuel Bonder, a spokesperson for Governor Josh Shapiro's campaign, dismissed Garrity's statements as those of a "desperate politician," highlighting her past support for unregulated data center development. Bonder asserted that Governor Shapiro has collaborated with community, labor, and environmental leaders to craft what he called "some of the strongest data center regulations and standards of accountability in the entire country." State Representative Aaron Bernstine, representing Butler County, supported Garrity's stance, criticizing what he perceived as a