Shapiro executive order restricts data centers
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed an executive order to significantly restrict data center development across the state. The new GRID standards, drafted with input from companies like Amazon, will now require local approval for data center projects to obtain state permits. This marks a shift from the governor's previous stance on such developments.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has enacted an executive order designed to dramatically restrict data center development within the state. The move, announced on Tuesday, signifies a notable change from the governor's earlier support for these projects, aligning him with a growing number of bipartisan governors seeking to slow or halt data center expansion.
The executive order introduces new GRID (Generating Reliable, Immediate Development) standards. While it does not implement a moratorium on data center construction, it mandates that all future data center projects must secure local approval before they can receive state permits.
The Shapiro administration's aides developed these GRID standards, incorporating feedback from industry players such as Amazon and various data center lobbying groups during the drafting process. This new regulatory framework aims to address increasing public opposition and concerns surrounding the rapid proliferation of data centers.