"HARRISBURG, Pa. — More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths that tech giants and developers are building to fuel artificial intelligence products and cloud computing.
The backlash to the massive server warehouses is enveloping races for governor in some of the nation’s biggest states and presidential battlegrounds.
On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said his administration would no longer put data center projects at the head of the line when it comes to issuing construction permits or granting developers a lucrative tax exemption if they don’t meet certain standards.
Those include plans to pay the full cost of their electricity and show how they will use advanced technology to limit water use. They also must first win local approval before they can seek state approval. They are, he said, the “strictest guardrails in the nation,” although he stopped short of imposing a moratorium on issuing permits."
Marc Levy reports for the Associated Press August 18, 2026.
SEE ALSO:
"Big Tech’s Fast-Expanding Plans For Data Centers Are Running Into Stiff Community Opposition" (AP)
"Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Signs Order To Limit New Data Centers" (E&E News)
"PJM Wants Data Centers To Bring Their Own Power. Pennsylvania’S On It." (Canary Media)
