Citing concerns from local communities and shifting economic, lawmakers in Harrisburg move to end data center incentives.
As data center controversy and opposition grows nationally, lawmakers in Pennsylvania’s politically divided General Assembly vote overwhelmingly to repeal incentive programs meant to engage their growth. Both the Democratically controlled House and the Republican controlled Senate recently advanced legislation which would end the state’s Computer Data Center Equipment Incentive Program. The program previously provided hundreds of millions worth of tax relief to data center developers. Legislators cited both the projected budgetary constrains of the program as well as growing opposition to nearly every data center application at the community level.
The debate reflects similar conversations in Annapolis about how best to approach data centers. While these facilities can bring investment and economic activity, communities are increasingly raising concerns about utility costs, energy demand, water use, environmental impacts, and local land use control. Pennsylvania officials are also considering additional policies, including standards for responsible data center development and a broader pause in their development.
