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Shapiro's Data Center Standards Aim to Raise the Bar for Developers
The order adds stricter environmental, energy and community standards and removes projects from Fast Track, with more than 100 proposals under review, officials said.
- Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order last week requiring new data center developments in Pennsylvania to meet strict environmental and transparency standards through the Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development framework.
- The administration introduced these standards to curb speculative proposals, as over 100 data centers have been planned across the state recently without buy-in from major tech companies like Amazon, Meta, or Microsoft.
- Under these standards, developers must commit to at least $250 million in new investment and ensure clean energy reaches 32% by 2035, while creating at least 200 prevailing wage construction jobs.
- Attorney Jeff Moerdler, chair of data center practice at Haynes Boone, warned that early-stage projects face a stricter path, potentially driving investment to other states. The order removes data centers from Pennsylvania's Fast Track program.
- This directive reflects a national trend where states increasingly prioritize infrastructure costs over simple attraction. As of July 1, lawmakers in 15 states had considered outright bans on data center construction.
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11 Articles
Shapiro's data center standards aim to raise the bar for developers
HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed an executive order setting much stricter environmental and transparency standards for new data center developments in Pennsylvania. The order is sweeping. And the many things it does — and doesn’t — do to existing and future data center projects may not all be clear at first glance. Here are its most important components: The executive order asks developers to sign an agreement that they will follo…
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
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- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
L 25%
C 75%
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