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HARRISBURG, Pa. \u2014<\/p>\nWATCH LIVE: Gov. Shapiro to sign executive order establishing stricter requirements on data centers<\/p>\n
HARRISBURG, Pa. \u2014<\/p>\n
Gov. Josh Shapiro will sign an executive order Tuesday establishing stricter requirements for proposed data centers in Pennsylvania, according to the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
WATCH LIVE: The stream will be available in the media player above once it begins. <\/p>\n
The event is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Aug. 18 in the Governor’s Reception Room at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex. <\/p>\n
Executive Order 2026-05<\/p>\n
Executive Order 2026-05 directs the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to incorporate Shapiro\u2019s Responsible Infrastructure Development, or GRID, requirements into its review of new data center proposals.<\/p>\n
Under the order, developers must make legally enforceable commitments to meet standards for energy affordability, environmental protection, workforce development, transparency, and community engagement. Projects must also secure required local approvals before DEP issues permits. <\/p>\n
“My message to data center developers is clear: If you can’t agree to our strict standards and get the community where you want to build to say ‘yes,’ you\u2019re not going to have the Commonwealth\u2019s support either,” Shapiro said. “These are some of the biggest companies in the world. They can afford to be good neighbors, follow the rules, and do this right.”<\/p>\n
Data centers removed from fast-track program<\/p>\n
The order removes all data center proposals from Pennsylvania\u2019s fast-track permitting program and prohibits data center developers from using nondisclosure agreements, the Shapiro administration said.<\/p>\n
Developers must pay for the energy infrastructure needed to operate their facilities without shifting those expenses to Pennsylvania households and businesses. They must also report their energy and water consumption, hire and train local workers, engage with residents, and comply with water-conservation standards.<\/p>\n
Data center projects that fail to satisfy the GRID requirements will not qualify for the state\u2019s sales and use tax exemption on eligible equipment, according to the administration.<\/p>\n
Map will track proposed projects<\/p>\n
The Shapiro administration has created a publicly accessible map identifying proposed data centers that have contacted DEP. Residents can use the map to monitor projects and the status of their permit applications, according to the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
Publicly sourced databases have identified more than 100 proposed data center projects in Pennsylvania, the administration said. Fifty-eight projects have communicated with DEP about permitting, 15 have applied for at least one permit, and five have received the permits needed for their first phases of development.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said the state should not reverse the environmental progress it has made during the past three decades.<\/p>\n
“As a parent, I think every single day about the kind of world I want to leave to my daughter, and that world has clean air for everyone to breathe and plentiful clean water for everyone to drink,” Davis said. <\/p>\n
The governor\u2019s office said the executive order was issued amid growing public concern about data centers\u2019 potential effects on utility bills, water supplies, air quality, and local infrastructure. <\/p>\n