Pa. election 2026: Where governor candidates Garrity and Shapiro stand on data centers -
Pennsylvania's gubernatorial candidates, Josh Shapiro and Stacy Garrity, are taking differing stances on data center development ahead of the 2026 election, reflecting widespread public concern. Shapiro favors voluntary environmental and energy standards tied to incentives, while Garrity supports mandatory regulations and a pause on development. The state legislature is also actively pursuing bills to repeal tax exemptions and propose new regulations for data centers.
Pennsylvania's upcoming 2026 gubernatorial election features a key debate between incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican candidate Stacy Garrity over data center development. Public opinion in Pennsylvania shows significant concern, with 64% viewing data centers as a crisis or problem, influencing the candidates' evolving positions.
Initially, both Shapiro and Garrity expressed enthusiasm for data center investment, with Shapiro even fast-tracking nine projects, including a $20 billion Amazon Web Services investment. However, as public opposition grew, their stances shifted. Shapiro now proposes a voluntary "GRID" plan, offering tax breaks and fast-tracked permitting to data centers that meet environmental, workforce development, and energy standards, including using at least 32% clean energy. His administration is also working with the state House on a legislative package to establish "strict guardrails."
Garrity, the State Treasurer, has criticized Shapiro's voluntary approach, advocating for mandatory regulations not tied to climate goals and a "pause" on data center development to allow townships to update zoning and emergency services. She suggests locating data centers on brownfields or industrial sites and supports repealing the sales tax exemption for data center equipment, which Shapiro has not explicitly supported. Both candidates have accused each other of flip-flopping on the issue.
The state legislature is also active, with both the House and Senate passing bills to repeal the sales tax exemption for data centers and restrict their access to "opportunity zone" tax benefits, though these bills have not yet passed both chambers. Several bills proposing moratoriums on data center development, including a bill allowing temporary local moratoriums, have also advanced. The Public Utility Commission may also be directed to establish baseline requirements for data center utility contracts and mandate clean energy use.