What Shapiro’s New Data Center Order Does — And Doesn’t — Force Developers To Do
- 7 hours ago
- 1 min read
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 follow the governor’s GRID standards, which include clean energy and job creation requirements. In exchange for signing, they get permit review and approval on a rolling basis.
It requires that developers show proof of local approvals before they can receive any state permits or authorizations.
It puts conditions on Pennsylvania’s data center sales tax exemption — if developers don’t follow the GRID standards, the state Department of Revenue won’t acknowledge applications for the tax credit.
It bans agencies under the governor’s control from signing NDAs in connection with data center projects. (The order doesn’t prevent local government officials from signing such agreements.)
It kicks data centers out of Fast Track, a Shapiro administration initiative to speed up permitting of major projects. (Previously, Shapiro had said he was giving this extra permitting attention to data center projects that followed his GRID standards.)
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the order’s key points; a look at the administration’s underlying goals; and what all this means for tech companies, data center developers, and the communities in which they want to build these massive projects.
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