Brown amendment for statewide data center moratorium fails in committee
A Pennsylvania state senator's amendment to establish a three-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data center construction failed in the Senate Local Government Committee. The legislative effort was driven by concerns from residents regarding the energy, water, and environmental impacts of data center development. While the statewide moratorium was rejected, the committee approved two other bills providing municipalities with optional tools to temporarily pause data center applications and update local ordinances.
Pennsylvania State Senator Rosemary Brown (R-40) proposed an amendment within the Senate Local Government Committee to implement a three-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data center development. Senator Brown highlighted Pennsylvania's emergence as a hub for hyperscale data centers, with over 50 projects proposed or under development, and stressed the need for laws to address escalating resident concerns about energy demand, water usage, infrastructure strain, and environmental impacts. She advocated for a legislative pause to establish "enforceable protections" before further projects advance.
Brown's amendment, intended to replace Senate Bill 1345 with the provisions of Senate Bill 1359 for a statewide moratorium, was defeated in committee by a 2-9 vote. Subsequently, the committee approved Senate Bill 1345 without the amendment, passing it 10-1. This bill grants municipalities the voluntary power to temporarily halt the submission and review of new hyperscale data center applications and permits for up to 18 months, allowing time to evaluate and revise local ordinances.
Additionally, House Bill 2496, which modestly expands the municipal curative amendment process to permit temporary pauses for ordinance updates without requiring a declaration of invalidity or a legal challenge, also received committee approval. While Senator Brown supported both bills for offering municipalities more tools, she clarified that these measures fall short of her constituents' demands for "bold, enforceable protections." She affirmed her commitment to continue advocating for a comprehensive statewide moratorium.