Coalition calls on state Senate to also take action on legislation  to hold data centers accountable
 

STATEWIDE (August 18, 2026) – Clean Power PA Chair Katie Blume made the following statement after Governor Shapiro issued an Executive Order to implement the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Standards:

“Clean Power PA is pleased that Governor Shapiro issued a strong executive order to hold A.I. data centers accountable, protect Pennsylvania families from the costs and other harms of unregulated data center growth, and steer data center developers to use more cheap, clean energy to power their operations.

“This executive order strengthens the GRID protections originally proposed by the governor earlier this year, maximizing his authority to regulate data centers under current law. The governor deserves credit for taking action on this critical issue, particularly in the face of inaction from the state Senate leadership, which has thus far stalled all legislative solutions. 

“It’s now time for the state Senate to return to Harrisburg to build on the governor’s order by enacting HB 1834, legislation that has already passed the state House that imposes strict, binding safeguards on data centers, as well as other legislation to put common-sense regulations on data centers. 

“HB 1834 and related legislation, combined with the governor’s executive order, are needed so large data center developers don’t stick families and small businesses with higher bills, communities are protected from the harmful environmental and health impacts of data center development, and cheap, clean energy will have a bigger role in growing our workforce and meeting the growing electric power demand across the state and region.”

About the Clean Power PA Coalition
The Clean Power PA Coalition consists of more than 40 clean energy, business, faith, conservation, and community groups committed to protecting Pennsylvania’s environment and powering its economy through clean energy.

​

​

###