HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Disdain for data centers has done something very rare: bring Republicans and Democrats together.

Progressive Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery) has a moratorium bill halting large-scale data centers for three years statewide. Surprisingly, two Republicans signed on.

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“If somebody can just come in and buy up 500 acres of your town and put a giant industrial operation and just affect your property, that’s a fairness issue,” Muth said. “And it’s really not partisan.”

Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) called it “a little bit of the wild, wild west.” Though she doesn’t support a moratorium, her bills would require companies to bring their own power and water or pay more to upgrade infrastructure, hold at least two public meetings, and not make non-disclosure deals with public officials.

“I felt like some of these companies were just kind of like shoving it down the local elected officials’ throats,” Pennycuick said. “That’s not right. If the local community says no, then it’s no.”

But PA Chamber President Luke Bernstein, essentially the state’s top business cheerleader, said local officials need more and better information. He’s been taking groups to data centers in Virginia, not to twist their arms but to open their minds and educate.

Stops include Ashburn, Virginia, where Bernstein said data centers occupy 3% of the land but pay 40% of the total taxes. The ones he’s toured also made no noise, he said.

“Data centers might not be for every community, but they might be for some,” Bernstein said.

Politically, it’s getting tougher by the day. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), trying to encourage business and protect communities, unveiled a set of standards known as GRID that exchange participation for faster permitting and tax benefits for data center developers. The bipartisan pushback was quick.

“The GRID principles, guidelines, whatever we’re calling them, are voluntary and written by industry,” Muth said. “And it’s, I mean, it’s reckless.”

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Pennycuick also disagreed with the governor, calling for local control.

What about the threat by data center developers to leave for another state if Pennsylvania becomes too inhospitable? Both Muth and Pennycuick said that’s a bit overstated; they’re going to go where the power is, and the power is here.

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