Governor Josh Shapiro Issues Executive Order Restricting Data Center Development in Pennsylvania
Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania has signed a comprehensive executive order that significantly restricts data center development across the state. This action marks a notable shift from his previous stance, where he had championed such developments, including a fast-track permitting initiative and a $20 billion commitment from Amazon for data centers in Bucks and Luzerne Counties. The new order, while not imposing a moratorium, mandates that all data center projects must receive local approvals before being eligible for state permits, a requirement that is expected to impede many proposed developments. Governor Shapiro stated that the absence of legislative approval compelled him to take executive action to protect Pennsylvania residents from what he termed 'predatory developers' and 'bad proposals.' The order also removes all data center developments, including those by Amazon, from the fast-track permitting program and prohibits state agencies from signing non-disclosure agreements related to these ... 
