Statement: Shapiro executive order sets guardrails for Pennsylvania data centers

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order today implementing the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) standards for data centers in Pennsylvania. The standards effectively require developers to bring their own power generation, meet clean energy requirements, pay for infrastructure needed to serve their electricity demand, secure local approval and meet environmental, water quality, transparency and community engagement requirements. 

“Pennsylvania can capture the economic opportunities of data center growth without forcing families to shoulder higher electricity costs or communities to bear more pollution,” said Michael Zimmerman, Director and Senior Attorney, Clean Affordable Power at Environmental Defense Fund. “Governor Shapiro’s executive order is an important step toward ensuring data centers pay their fair share, meet minimum clean energy standards and give communities a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. Now lawmakers need to pass legislation to ensure these protections last.” 

Environmental Defense Fund looks forward to working with the Shapiro administration and lawmakers across the Commonwealth to advance legislation that protects Pennsylvanians from data center-related energy costs and pollution while providing clear, enforceable standards for future development.