Pennsylvania Lawmaker proposes statewide data center impact fee
State Sen. Gene Yaw is proposing a statewide Pennsylvania data center impact fee modeled on the Marcellus Shale program. The proposal would raise revenue to help communities address infrastructure and environmental impacts associated with data center development amid growing local opposition.
Pennsylvania state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-23, has proposed legislation creating a statewide impact fee for data centers. The measure would be modeled on the state’s Marcellus Shale impact fee program, which collects revenue from an industry and distributes some of it to affected communities and statewide programs.
Yaw said the proposal would provide Pennsylvania with a consistent way to fund infrastructure needs and address environmental demands while protecting taxpayers. The initiative comes as residents in communities around the country increasingly oppose data center projects over concerns including noise and environmental impacts.