Pa. legislative leaders reject data center moratorium
Pennsylvania legislative leaders, including Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman and Democratic House Speaker Joanna McClinton, are rejecting calls for a statewide data center moratorium. While they acknowledge concerns about energy and water usage, they emphasize local control and transparency over an outright ban. Governor Josh Shapiro previously signed an executive order to add guardrails and eliminate fast-track permitting for data centers.
Pennsylvania legislative leaders, including Republican State Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman and Democratic House Speaker Joanna McClinton, have rejected the idea of a statewide moratorium on data center development. This stance comes as data center regulation gains prominence on the campaign trail, with some politicians and residents advocating for a pause in construction due to concerns over energy and water consumption.
In separate interviews, both Pittman and McClinton emphasized the importance of local government control in determining community development. Pittman highlighted existing transparency measures in Pennsylvania's budget regarding data center power and water usage, while also cautioning against "speculative development" by developers who may not fully understand their projects. McClinton stressed a "balancing act" between fostering technological development and job creation, and preventing skyrocketing energy costs or other negative community impacts from high energy use.
Governor Josh Shapiro had previously signed an executive order to establish guardrails for data center development and remove fast-track permitting, though his Republican gubernatorial opponent, Treasurer Stacy Garrity, has called for a broader "pause." Lawmakers are set to return to Harrisburg for the session, where data center regulation remains a key issue.