LCV and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Applaud Governor Shapiro’s Data Center Safeguards

Harrisburg, PA: Today, Governor Josh Shapiro stood alongside local electeds and state environmental leaders to release an Executive Order requiring data centers seeking state permits to commit to clean energy, new environmental safeguards, and energy cost protections. In response, League of Conservation Voters and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania released the following statements:

“Across the country, working families are overwhelmed by sky rocketing energy costs,” said Pete Maysmith, President of LCV. “We know big tech’s unregulated data center rollout has made the problem worse. The public needs state leaders to step up and make sure these companies use affordable clean energy, pay their fair share, and protect local communities from air and water pollution. Governor Shapiro has listened to public outcry to put environmental and cost safeguards in place. This is a good move for Pennsylvania. We need to see this kind of action in every community: clean energy first, strong environmental safeguards, greater transparency, and protections for ratepayers.”

“We applaud Governor Shapiro for listening to the concerns of the environmental community, local elected officials and community advocates and establishing important protections for working families and our environment in the face of an unchecked data center explosion,” said Molly Parzen, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “Our commonwealth’s affordability crisis is being exacerbated by the rapid surge in data center development, which also threatens our clean air, our pure water and our open space. This Executive Order is a meaningful step forward that will help expand clean energy generation and put safeguards in place to protect local communities.

Data center developers and Big Tech titans cannot be allowed to rake in record profits at the expense of our energy bills, our clean air or our water. We appreciate that Governor Shapiro listened to the calls of so many advocates from both the environment and labor movements and brought us to the table to develop a response.”

Next steps for Pennsylvania: This Executive Order is only a first step. Compared to neighboring states, Pennsylvania is behind. While PA House Democrats have stepped up by passing aggressive, commonsense consumer protections, like HB 1834, state Senate Republicans have blocked nearly all efforts to regulate data centers. For Pennsylvania to truly protect communities and the environment, Senate Republicans must stop stalling and come to the table with Governor Shapiro and House Democrats to pass comprehensive legislation that expands clean energy, protects public health and prevents Big Tech companies from making billions on the backs of Pennsylvania families.

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