Where governor candidates Garrity, Shapiro stand on data centers
Pennsylvania's gubernatorial candidates, Josh Shapiro and Stacy Garrity, are taking divergent stances on data center development amidst rising public concern. Both candidates have tempered their initial enthusiasm, with Shapiro favoring voluntary environmental and energy standards tied to incentives, while Garrity advocates for mandatory rules and a pause on development.
Pennsylvania's gubernatorial candidates, incumbent Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican Stacy Garrity, are publicly debating their positions on data center development, an issue that has become a top concern for many Pennsylvanians.
Gov. Shapiro, who initially championed data center investment and fast-tracked nine projects including a $20 billion Amazon Web Services investment, has shifted his stance to propose voluntary environmental, workforce development, and energy standards in exchange for economic incentives. These standards, part of his GRID proposal, include using at least 32% clean energy and creating community benefits agreements. His administration has also worked with the state House on legislation to establish baseline operating standards for data centers.
Stacy Garrity, on the other hand, has criticized Shapiro's voluntary approach, advocating for mandatory regulations not tied to climate initiatives and a pause on data center development. She supports repealing sales tax exemptions for data centers and believes development should occur in brownfields or industrial sites, away from residential communities. Garrity has held listening sessions across the state, accusing Shapiro of flip-flopping on the issue.
Public frustration over data centers stems from concerns about energy prices, water availability, and property values, with a recent poll indicating 64% of Pennsylvanians view data centers as a problem or crisis. The state Legislature is actively addressing these concerns, with both the House and Senate passing bills to repeal sales tax exemptions for data centers and considering legislation for temporary local moratoriums. While the state House has passed a bill allowing temporary local moratoriums, the state Senate has not yet passed a similar measure.