Shapiro Sets Binding GRID Requirements in Pennsylvania, Targets Data Center Power Costs

Governor Shapiro's Swift Reversal on AI Data Center Policy

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a new round of sweeping restrictions on artificial intelligence data centers on Tuesday, marking a swift reversal of his original views on the issue. “Many politicians and political candidates, noticing growing public opposition to data centers (at least some of it resulting from dark money campaigns against these central features...

Brandon McGinley: The politics of Josh Shapiro's transformation on data centers

The only two times I’ve seen Gov. Josh Shapiro in the flesh, he was extolling AI and data centers as critical to Pennsylvania’s

Shapiro launches website for citizens to protest data centers

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) on Friday launched a website for Pennsylvania residents to provide his office with feedback about data centers.  The governor said the website would provide a mechanism to help him “stop bad-faith developers who try to bully their way into our communities with no regulation or oversight,” by giving residents a place to name concerns about data center projects in their area.  “This week, I enacted the strictest requiremen…

Does Pennsylvania now have ‘the strictest guardrails in the nation’ for data centers?

Gov. Josh Shapiro touted Pennsylvania’s new data center regulations this week. Here’s how some neighboring states compare.

Shapiro Sets Binding GRID Requirements in Pennsylvania, Targets Data Center Power Costs

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order on Aug. 18 that raises the bar for large data center development in the state, directing agencies to condition favorable permitting treatment and tax benefits on compliance with new energy, infrastructure, environmental, workforce, and community requirements. Executive Order 2026-05 applies its central permitting provisions to data centers with […] The post Shapiro Sets Binding GRID Requir…

Shapiro's data center order draws mixed reactions

Gov. Josh Shapiro formalized an executive order that he says enacts “the strictest guardrails in the nation on data center development.” Mixed reactions to the order show some felt it went too far, while others framed it as a half-measure.