Pennsylvania Governor Issues Executive Order on Data Center Development; Lehigh Valley Opponents React
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order removing data centers from a fast-track permitting program and imposing new requirements for developers. Opponents in the Lehigh Valley, including the South Whitehall Civic Alliance, criticized the order as insufficient and called for a moratorium. A specific data center project, Project Atlas, is set to go before the South Whitehall Township planning commission.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed an executive order designed to regulate the development of large-scale data centers across the state. The order removes all current and future data center projects from the PA Permit Fast Track program and mandates that developers submit detailed plans to the Department of Environmental Protection, comply with "Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development" (GRID) requirements, and sign a legally binding consent order. Developers must commit to paying for their own power, meeting strict environmental standards, hiring local workers, and engaging transparently with communities to qualify for the state's data center sales tax exemption.
Local data center opponents in the Lehigh Valley, however, have criticized the order as insufficient "political damage control" that fails to adequately protect communities or address existing projects. Greg Sussman, President of the South Whitehall Civic Alliance, which is fighting the proposed Project Atlas data center, stated the order has "almost zero impact" on projects submitted before August 2026 that have not yet received approval. Similarly, Tom Gilmour, an Upper Mount Bethel Township resident, called it a "good first step" but emphasized the need to revise the Municipal Planning Code and make GRID standards mandatory with strict enforcement.
State Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Lehigh) expressed hope the order would prompt legislative action on his bill, which proposes an 18-month moratorium on data center projects, while Senator Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) applauded the governor's decision to insist on local approvals and detailed reporting on resource use. Environmental groups like Food & Water Watch also voiced skepticism, with Pennsylvania state director Megan McDonough arguing Shapiro should have imposed a full moratorium as requested by residents. The order comes after the Republican-controlled Senate declined to act on data center legislation that passed the House.
South Whitehall Township officials have scheduled special meetings in September to address the environmental impacts of the Project Atlas data center, which is set to appear before the township planning commission later that month. Opponents maintain that the executive order does little to mitigate the impact of unapproved projects initiated by the governor's previous policies.