Shapiro says some data center developers disregard communities
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said that too many data center developers do not take into account the communities where they plan to implement their projects. According to him, the state does not want such facilities whose developers try to act against the interests of local residents.
As CNBC Top News reports, Shapiro linked this position to an executive order he signed on August 18. The document, aimed at overseeing data center development, requires projects to meet the requirements of the governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) initiative and excludes all data centers for artificial intelligence from the expedited approval program.
Conditions for developers
According to the governor, data center developers must secure local support before submitting documents to obtain permits from state authorities. They must also generate and pay for electricity themselves, without shifting these costs onto households and local businesses.
Shapiro added that projects must protect water resources and air quality. When signing the executive order, he called its requirements the strictest in the United States and said that developers who do not comply with the standards should not plan to operate in Pennsylvania.
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Debate over data centers
The governor's statement came the day after U.S. President Donald Trump said that communities can oppose AI data centers if they want to remain backward and poor. Opponents of such facilities believe that they may increase demand for electricity and its cost, as well as create an additional burden on local water resources.
In June 2025, Shapiro welcomed Amazon's plans to invest at least $20 billion in the construction of two data center complexes in Pennsylvania. His rival in the gubernatorial election, Republican and state treasurer Stacy Garrity, called the executive order an attempt to eliminate the consequences of Shapiro's previous policy and said that if elected, she would suspend data center development in the state.
A Gallup poll released in May showed that seven out of ten Americans oppose the construction of data centers for artificial intelligence in their area.
