Shapiro slams Pa. Senate Republicans for blocking data center regulations

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has criticized state Senate Republican leaders for blocking proposed data center regulations, which he described as essential for protecting the state's residents and resources. Earlier this year, Governor Shapiro introduced "grid requirements" in his budget address, aiming to mandate that data centers bring their own power, cover all associated electricity costs, ensure transparency with local communities, hire local workers, provide community benefits, and protect air and water quality.

The House of Representatives reportedly passed these grid requirements on a bipartisan basis, but the Senate has refused to even bring the legislation to a vote. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) had previously stated that Senate Republicans had no intention of taking legislative action to regulate data center development in Pennsylvania.

Faced with this legislative impasse, Governor Shapiro announced his intention to take executive action to implement what he calls "the strictest guardrails in the nation." This executive order aims to protect Pennsylvanians by preventing "predatory developers and these bad proposals from infecting our Commonwealth," according to Shapiro.