PA governor signs executive order on AI data centers
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order implementing what he called the “nation’s strictest guardrails on AI data centers.” The order requires developers to limit water use, pay for their own electricity, and gain local community sign-off on projects. It also eliminates the fast-track option for data center approvals in the state, with over 100 proposals currently under discussion.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order imposing what he described as the “nation’s strictest guardrails on AI data centers” statewide. The new regulations aim to ensure Pennsylvanians do not bear the costs of rapid AI development, putting developers on notice.
Under the order, data center developers must commit to bringing their own energy, limiting water usage, and covering their electricity costs. Governor Shapiro also eliminated a fast-track approval process for projects, which he had introduced earlier in the year, a shift in stance noted by Republicans.
The executive order grants local communities more power, requiring them to sign off on projects. A commissioner from Hampden Township in Cumberland County spoke in support, emphasizing the importance of local control in setting reasonable development rules. Developers are now required to provide a notice of intent to comply with grid requirements and present detailed plans to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for scrutiny before any of the over 100 data center proposals across the state can be approved.