Executive Order imposes strict requirements for Pennsylvania data centers
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an Executive Order imposing strict new requirements for data center permit applications across the state. The Department of Environmental Protection will now only review applications if developers agree to meet specific standards for environmental protection, water conservation, and public input. The order also removes AI data center projects from the state's Permit Fast Track Program.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed Executive Order 2026-05, establishing rigorous new requirements for all data center proposals seeking permits within the Commonwealth. The order, signed on Tuesday, mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will only review permit applications if developers commit to adhering to the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) criteria. Furthermore, the DEP will not issue any permit unless the project has secured all necessary local approvals.
Under the GRID framework, data center developers are obligated to cover the full expense of any new electricity generation required by their projects. They must also facilitate meaningful public engagement on critical design decisions, prioritize local hiring and training, and meet stringent environmental protection standards, including robust water conservation measures. Governor Shapiro emphasized that data center developers, often representing some of the world's largest companies, must be "good neighbors" and comply with these rules.
A significant provision of the Executive Order is the immediate removal of all AI data center projects from the existing PA Permit Fast Track Program. Additionally, no future data center projects, including those focused on AI, will be eligible for this expedited permitting process. These new permit review procedures will be applied to all forthcoming data center permit applications across Pennsylvania.