Around Town

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed two bills, House Bill 2150 and House Bill 2151, aimed at increasing oversight of the rapidly expanding data center development across the state. The legislation, which now moves to the Senate for consideration, addresses growing concerns from residents and environmental groups regarding the environmental impacts, energy demand, and community transparency related to data center expansion. House Bill 2150, sponsored by Representative Kyle Mullins, mandates annual reporting on energy and water usage by data centers and requires a joint impact report from the state Department of Environmental Protection and Public Utility Commission. Representative Mullins highlighted concerns from residents about the lack of transparency in data center projects. House Bill 2151, introduced by Representative Kyle Donahue, proposes the development of a model ordinance to assist municipalities in regulating data centers on issues such as noise, size, and water consumption. These measures, which advanced from the House Energy Committee chaired by Representative Elizabeth Fiedler, are supported by environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and PennFuture. The legislative push comes amidst a broader effort to regulate data center growth in Pennsylvania, balancing industry expansion with community and environmental concerns.