Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signed an Executive Order cracking down on the development of AI data centers in the state, and placing strict requirements on data centers.
In a post on X, Shapiro explained that developers of AI data centers would be required “to commit to strict environmental and transparency requirements,” along with receiving approval from local communities. Shapiro continued to explain that data centers were also being removed from the state’s “Fast Track permit program.”
“I just signed an Executive Order implementing the strictest standards in the nation for AI data centers — because I will not allow Pennsylvanians to be bullied by greedy developers and bulldozed by the lawyers working for these big tech companies,” Shapiro said. “Effective immediately, we’re requiring AI data centers to commit to strict environmental and transparency requirements AND receive approval from the local community if they want to build here.”
Data centers are described as being “facilities used to house computer systems and serve as infrastructure for storing and processing information,” NBC10 Philadelphia reported:
Data centers are facilities used to house computer systems and serve as infrastructure for storing and processing information. They also support the global financial system, cloud services, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).
Rising electricity costs and a strain on electric grids fueled by the growth of the AI industry have led to significant backlash to proposed data centers from communities across the country, including towns and neighborhoods in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Other critics of data centers have expressed concerns about their environmental impact as well as AI’s potential threat to millions of jobs.
During a press conference regarding the executive order, Shapiro also spoke about Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) standards, and how “data center developers will now be required to sign a legally binding consent order to comply with the GRID standards,” according to the outlet.
Shapiro also explained that under the requirements, data center developers “must bring their own power and pay for all of the costs associated with that electricity,” along with respecting local communities by “being transparent with the community,” among others, according to the outlet.
During the press conference, regarding the executive order, Shapiro spoke about how last year he “announced two projects that will bring thousands of new jobs” and more than $20 billion of investments to the Commonwealth. Shapiro continued to note that sine then there has been “an unacceptable number of speculative proposals for data center development that is swamping” the state.
“I think it’s important to take an honest look at how quickly data center development has moved over the last year,” Shapiro said. “This technology is obviously moving quite rapidly. Last summer, I announced two projects that will bring thousands of new jobs, and over $20 billion of investment to Pennsylvania in Salem Township, in Luzerne County, and in Falls Township in Bucks County. Since then, we have seen an unacceptable number of speculative proposals for data center development that is swamping our Commonwealth.”
Shapiro continued to admit that while there are currently “no AI data centers up and running” in the state, and while “only five have the permits that they would need to even begin operating,” the developers are scaring communities and “being aggressive with township officials.”
In a post on X, Stephen Caruso, a Pennsylvania Capitol reporter with Spotlight PA, shared a press release from Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, in which Garrity accused Shapiro of “trying to gaslight the people of Pennsylvania.”
“Josh Shapiro is trying to gaslight the people of Pennsylvania into not believing what they’ve seen with their own eyes for the past 13 months,” Garrity said. “Last summer, Josh Shapiro was the biggest data center cheerleader in the nation, and he reaped in more than $5 million in campaign donations from out-of-state data center interests in the process.”
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