Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro reverses course on fast-track data center permitting

Gov. Josh Shapiro shifted from welcoming hyperscale data centers through expedited permitting to removing them from the program within 20 months, reflecting political tensions over land use and infrastructure demands.

First covered Nov 1, 2026 · 1:50 AM PT · 1 article · no longer in the live window

Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro reverses course on fast-track data center permitting — Image via insideclimatenews.org

Coverage

10d Inside Climate News Will Josh Shapiro’s Data Center Past Haunt his Political Future? — Perhaps no issue has tested the political agility of Pennsylvania’s popular Gov. Josh Shapiro over the past two years more than data centers.

Primary sources

mccormick.senate.gov Fact Sheet More Than 90 Billion In Investments Announced At Senator Mccormicks Pennsylvania Energy And Innovation Summit (mccormick.senate.gov)

pa.gov Governor Josh Shapiro Signs Executive Order on Commonwealth Use of Generative Ar

pjm.com 20250925 Pjm Governors Collaborative Joint Statement Of Intent (pjm.com)

More coverage from around the web

theconversation.com Data center projects in Pennsylvania face stronger local scrutiny after Shapiro’s executive order

washingtonpost.com Pennsylvania will sharply limit data center development, expand review process - The Washington Post

technical.ly Shapiro’s pivot: Where Pennsylvania’s major data center projects stand now

inquirer.com Gov. Josh Shapiro signs executive order restricting data center development in Pennsylvania

thehill.com Josh Shapiro signs order restricting AI data centers in Pennsylvania

Appeared in: 2026-11-01 (#2) · 2026-11-02 (#3)

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