Pa. lawmakers advance bill to give state additional oversight of water use at new data centers

Pennsylvania lawmakers have advanced a bill that would require data center developers to submit detailed reports on their expected water usage to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) before commencing operations. The proposed legislation, sponsored by Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery County), mandates that these reports include information on the volume of water to be used, its source, and the temperature at which it will be taken in and returned. Developers would also need to demonstrate that their operations will not negatively impact water quality and quantity. The DEP would gain the authority to reject projects deemed harmful to state waterways or other water users. Rep. Webster emphasized the importance of data centers to Pennsylvania's economy while advocating for necessary "guardrails" to protect residents and the environment. However, the bill faced opposition from some Republican lawmakers. Rep. Jack Rader (R-Monroe County) argued for local control over such issues, expressing concern about additional layers of government oversight. Rep. Dallas Kephart (R-Cambria and Clearfield counties) also raised objections to a provision allowing the unelected Environmental Quality Board to set fees for developers, arguing that fee-setting should remain with elected lawmakers. Conversely, Rep. Nikki Rivera (D-Lancaster County) supported the bill, noting that in her district, similar reports for two planned data centers showed lower water usage than previous industrial occupants, providing transparency to residents. The bill passed the House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee with bipartisan support, with two Republicans joining all Democrats. It now awaits votes in the full state House and the Republican-controlled Senate, after which it would need Governor Josh Shapiro's signature to become law. Additionally, House Democrats are pursuing a separate bill requiring annual reports on energy and water consumption, which also saw a partisan split in the House Energy Committee.