Data-center tracker website shows status of builds in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday announced a new website for Pennsylvanians to provide feedback on proposed data centers projects — just one piece of the transparency efforts and guardrails for the land developments announced this week by the commonwealth.

The website launches after Shapiro signed an executive order on Tuesday establishing rules for data center development, which the administration said were some of the “strictest standards in the nation — blocking unwanted AI data center projects and stopping greedy developers.” The new website was released in tandem with a new PA Data Center Permit Tracker, a geographic information systems-powered map that shows the locations and environmental permit statuses of proposed data center projects.

Officials said the actions follow extensive outreach to communities across Pennsylvania after an unprecedented number of data center project proposals were submitted over the past year. Nationwide, concerns have grown about data centers and their growing demands for electricity, water and land to support infrastructure for artificial intelligence systems. According to the state’s website, there are at least 100 proposed data centers in Pennsylvania, “the vast majority of which have not formally approached the Commonwealth for any discussion of permitting or taken meaningful steps toward development.” There are no operational AI data centers in Pennsylvania.

The new website allows residents to comment on data center proposals, and to indicate whether a proposal meets the governor’s requirements outlined in his executive order and if there is community opposition to the project.

Under the new rules, data center developers must commit to paying the full cost of all energy needed to power their project instead of raising electricity costs on consumers; commit to transparent engagement with local residents and leaders; hire and train local workers, and invest in the local community; and meet the highest standards for environmental protection, including strict water conservation requirements.

The order also states that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will only review data center permit applications if project developers have made a legally binding commitment to meeting these standards and have received local approval. In a video posted to social media, Shapiro thanked residents for sending in their concerns about data centers.

“Your comments, letters, and texts have led me to take a hard look at data center development in our Commonwealth. Because this is how good government is supposed to work. Constituents express concerns on an issue, and their elected leaders listen, hear them out, and take action accordingly,” Shapiro said. “That’s what we’ve done today — and that’s what I’ll continue to do as your Governor, because here in Pennsylvania, we’re going to respect the decisions of our local communities above all.”