House okays bill to let municipalities call a 6-month data center pause
The Pennsylvania State House passed a bill that would allow municipalities to implement a six-month "pause" on considering new data center proposals. This legislation aims to give local governments more time to evaluate large developments, addressing growing constituent concerns. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
The Pennsylvania State House has approved a bill that would grant municipalities the authority to impose a six-month moratorium on the consideration of new data center proposals. The legislation, sponsored by Chester County Democratic Rep. Paul Friel, passed with overwhelming support (201-1) and targets data centers with a peak electrical demand of 25 megawatts or greater.
Rep. Greg Scott, a Montgomery County Democrat, stated that the bill aims to provide local governments with crucial time to manage the complex and often rapid development of data center projects, a growing concern among constituents. The bill now advances to the state Senate for further legislative action. Separately, a bill introducing a set of data center standards proposed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro also passed the House (134-68) and will proceed to the Senate.
Other legislative efforts concerning data center development are also underway. Sen. Jarrett Coleman (Lehigh County Republican) has proposed a bill allowing 18-month local moratoriums, while Sen. Katie Muth (Chester County Democrat) introduced a bill for a three-year, statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers. These bills are currently awaiting action in the Senate Local Government Committee. Representatives from both parties, including Charity Krupa (Fayette County Republican) and Joe Emrick (Northampton County Republican), voiced concerns about the rapid pace of development and the need for communities to carefully consider the implications.