HARRISBURG, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania is a target location for data centers and a pair of bills aimed at making sure local interests are protected are on their way to the state Senate, after passing the House with bipartisan support.
Lackawanna County Democratic state Rep. Kyle Mullins said the rise of potential data center sites across Pennsylvania has brought more questions than answers. He said his bill would help answer some of those questions by requiring water and energy usage reports to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“If they want to come and avail themselves of our local resources, protected by our state constitution, our land, our water, our health and quality of life, the very least they could do is be transparent about their intended uses of these valuable resources,” said Mullins.
The bill passed the state House 133-68 with 31 Republicans joining all Democrats in voting in favor.
The House also passed a second bill that would offer optional language for local zoning ordinances that municipalities could pick and choose from to address data center development. Its sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Kyle Donahue, explained the bill would give communities guidance on noise control, energy capacity, water use and emergency response planning.
“It does not mandate adoption,” said Donahue. “It does not override or diminish local control in any way. In fact, the bill explicitly states that nothing requires a municipality or county to adopt the model ordinance in whole or in part. It is entirely optional.”
While 22 Republicans joined all Democrats in passing that bill, state Rep. Jesse Topper, the House Republican leader, warned that if they over-regulated data center development, companies could opt to build their centers in more accommodating states.
“Once they go to Ohio and once they go to West Virginia and once they go to Maryland, we will continue to lose jobs and economic prosperity to our neighboring states,” Topper said. “We have to keep that in mind.”
Both bills head to the state Senate, with a Republican majority.
