With more than 90 billion dollars in AI and energy investments announced this week in Pittsburgh, some state lawmakers are working to streamline the permitting process as well.
Republican State Senator Camera Bartolotta has introduced a companion bill to House legislation that aims to bring about timely permitting for data centers.
She says it has nothing to do with damaging the environment but making permitting easier on pre-approved sites by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community and Economic Development.
At least five of those sites would be on decommissioned or soon to be decommissioned power plants.