Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed an executive order requiring data center developers to comply with new state standards, as communities across the state grapple with a growing number of proposed projects.

The order requires developers to meet the governor’s GRID standards — short for Governors Responsible Infrastructure Development — if they want to move forward. Shapiro first announced the standards in February and finalized them in May. The Pennsylvania House later passed legislation to put the standards into law, but the measure has stalled in the state Senate.

WVIA environmental reporter Kat Bolus has been following the issue, particularly in Northeast Pennsylvania. She says Shapiro has sought to balance the potential economic benefits of the data center industry with concerns about its impact on communities.

“The governor has been really focused on making Pennsylvania competitive nationwide as a place that is welcoming to business,” Bolus said. She said the administration sees large industries as a potential source of jobs and family-sustaining wages.

But the rapid growth of the industry has generated opposition. Bolus points to a $22 billion Amazon investment announced in 2025 as a turning point, followed by a wave of proposals in smaller communities.

“All of these developers came in and just started proposing plans in small communities to build these massive data centers,” she said. Residents are concerned about the facilities’ electricity use and how the projects could affect their quality of life.

Archbald, north of Scranton, has become a focal point of the debate. Multiple data center proposals are under consideration there, including a project that would be built around Ed Staback Park.

Another data center has been proposed in Clinton Township in Wayne County by Linde Corporation. The Clinton Township Joint Supervisors and Planning Commission Public Hearing on that proposed data center is Saturday, August 22nd at 10:00am at the Wayne County Park Street Complex 648 W Park Street in Honesdale, PA.

Shapiro visited Archbald in May and met with residents. Bolus said their reaction to the visit was “lukewarm” and that residents remain skeptical of the governor’s approach.

“It’s been a community uprising, and I don’t use uprising in a negative way at all,” Bolus said. She said the issue is one of the few she has covered in nearly 15 years where she has seen residents “the most united, the most educated, and kind of the most worried about.”

Some residents and advocacy groups are calling for a moratorium on new data center development. Bolus said they want communities to have more time to understand and regulate the industry before additional projects move forward.

The state’s zoning system has also complicated the issue. Bolus said some municipalities lack specific zoning for data centers, leaving them to navigate existing rules while trying to avoid potentially expensive lawsuits.

Now, Bolus is watching how the executive order affects projects already proposed. Under the GRID standards, developers that do not agree to the requirements would not receive permits from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Bolus expects the issue could ultimately end up in court.

“I think a lot of them are going to end up being decided by judges in courtrooms,” she said. “And I think this executive order might find its way there as well.”

Image: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signs an executive order meant to regulate data centers in Pennsylvania during a news conference Aug. 18, 2026, in Harrisburg.(Commonwealth Media Services/WVIA Screenshot)