Kline data center project bounced from permit fast track program
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued an executive order removing all data center developments, including a planned Amazon data center in Kline Township, from the state's Permit Fast Track Program. This move is part of new Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Requirements. Meanwhile, the Kline Township Planning Commission is holding public hearings for the Amazon project, and supervisors have extended the deadline for plan approval.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced an executive order that immediately removes all data center developments from the state's Permit Fast Track Program. This decision, part of the new Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Requirements, means future data center projects, including a proposed Amazon data center campus in Kline Township, will no longer be eligible for expedited state-level permitting.
The Amazon Data Services project, slated for the former Brewster property near Lofty in Kline Township, had been accepted into the Fast Track program on May 22, 2025. Governor Shapiro indicated the change reflects public feedback, stating the Fast Track program is not suitable for data center development despite its success with other major economic projects.
Locally, the Kline Township Planning Commission is conducting a series of public hearings regarding the Amazon project at the McAdoo/Kelayres Elementary-Middle School. Concurrently, township supervisors approved an extension of the deadline to approve the data center plans until September 30, indicating ongoing review and decision-making processes.