PA Environment Digest Blog: Environmental Advocates Urge Lawmakers To Pass Bills Giving PUC Authority To Regulate Data Centers, Prohibit Nondisclosure Agreements, Promote Clean Energy To Reduce Energy Costs

Monday, May 4, 2026

Environmental Advocates Urge Lawmakers To Pass Bills Giving PUC Authority To Regulate Data Centers, Prohibit Nondisclosure Agreements, Promote Clean Energy To Reduce Energy Costs

On May 4, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, PennFuture and a coalition of state lawmakers gathered at the State Capitol for the 2026 Lobby Day to demand urgent action on a legislative package designed to protect Pennsylvania’s environment, while lowering energy costs for working families.

The proposed legislative package is designed to lower costs for working families, create union jobs and protect Pennsylvania’s air and water in the face of ongoing federal attacks.

The key measures include--

-- Authorize PUC To Regulate Data Centers: House Bill 1834 (Matzie-D-Beaver) authorized the Public Utility Commission to regulate A.I. data centers and other large loads. (Passed House in March, now in Senate.) [Read more here]

-- How A Project Serves The Public Interest: House Bill 2184 (Friel Otten-D-Chester) requiring the PUC to explicitly consider the public interest in every proceeding, deliberation, and decision; and requiring that PUC orders include findings demonstrating how its decisions align with the public interest. The resulting framework will direct the PUC to weigh not only rates and reliability, but also affordability, resilience, equitable treatment of customers, economic impacts, energy efficiency, long-term sustainability, transparency, and public safety. (In House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee.)

-- Prohibit Nondisclosure Agreements: House Bill 2359 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) prohibiting state and local government agencies from entering into nondisclosure agreements related to data center development. (In House Energy Committee.)

-- Encourage Warehouse Solar: House Bill 1260 (Rusnock-D-Berks) encourages the development of solar energy generation facilities at warehouses and distribution centers. (Passed House in March, now in Senate.) [Read more here.]

-- Standards For Geothermal Energy, Water Wells: House Bill 2302 (Takac-D-Centre, Moul-R-Adams) and Senate Bill 1249 (Malone-D-Lancaster) licensing of geothermal, water, geotechnical well drillers. (House Bill reported out of Committee April 27 Tabled. [Read more here.] Senate Bill still in Committee.)

-- Advanced Clean Manufacturing Tax Credit: House Bill 1556 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) authorizing a clean manufacturing tax credit. (Passed House in February, now in Senate.) [Read more here]

“We are here today because the work being done in these halls has never been more urgent,” said Molly Parzen, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “With the Trump administration actively rolling back federal environmental protections and pushing policies that threaten to drive up energy costs for every Pennsylvanian, Harrisburg must be our last line of defense.

“We cannot wait for Washington to act. We have to lead. The package of bills we are highlighting today represents a common-sense, Pennsylvania-first agenda that recognizes that protecting our environment and protecting our wallets go hand-in-hand.

“By passing these bills, we can lower utility bills, secure our groundwater and build a clean energy future that leaves no community behind.”

“Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and PennFuture released in January our joint Energy Affordability Agenda to promote 10 policies that will help mitigate cost increases for Pennsylvanians, better regulate the data center industry, and diversify our energy portfolio to achieve greater reliability,” said Pat McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture.

“This is a commonsense agenda that we have already seen embraced by lawmakers in both parties and both chambers.

“Now is the time for Pennsylvania to lead the way and show we will not abandon our responsibility to protect our clean air, pure water, and the right to a healthy environment. These bills move Pennsylvania forward by providing real solutions, real opportunities and real accountability.”

“With utility prices soaring for households and businesses across Pennsylvania, and with extreme weather events causing continued harm and hardship to our communities, the General Assembly must pursue all options to make our energy and economic systems sustainable and resilient,” said Senator Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia). “The Solar-Ready Warehouses legislation that I’m introducing with Senator Comitta positions our built environment as an asset in accomplishing this. If we were to harness the energy-generating capacity of suitable rooftop space atop warehouses across Pennsylvania, we could power nearly a million households per year on solar alone.”

“The Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees us clean air and water, and this is a responsibility we all have,” said Rep. Paul Takac (D-Centre). “Over 3 million Pennsylvanians rely on private wells for their drinking water. My legislation would establish accountability without adding new regulatory requirements or permitting processes.”

“It’s no secret that the PJM electric grid is facing a supply crisis in the coming years. Pennsylvania’s electric generation portfolio is overly reliant on natural gas,” said Rep. Jacklyn Rusnock (D-Berks). “It makes sense to utilize all of our available warehouse space and take control of our energy consumption. It helps to reduce our carbon footprint by generating electricity using sunlight instead of using fossil fuels. This bill is about being proactive rather than reactive and utilizing the opportunity that is literally right over our heads.”

As advocates from across the state met with their representatives following the press conference, the message remained clear: Pennsylvania has the tools and the legislative path to build a more resilient, affordable, and clean future — if Harrisburg is willing to act.
Resource Links - More Solutions:

-- PA House Passes Bipartisan Legislation To Establish Framework For Developing Clean, Safe Geothermal Energy To Meet Base Load Energy Demands [PaEN]

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Celebrates House Passage Of Community Solar Energy Legislation In PA [PaEN]

-- PA House Committee Hears How Virtual Power Plants, Advanced Transmission Line Technologies Allow Us To Quickly Get More Out Of Our Energy Infrastructure In Less Time, Without Huge Investments Or Delays [PaEN]

-- DEP Seeks Proposals For Electric Generation, Battery Storage To Quickly Enter Service To Feed Rising Energy Demands From A.I. Data Centers, Improve Grid Reliability, Address High Energy Costs [PaEN]

-- Senate DEP Budget Hearing: How Energy Storage Can Add Capacity To The Grid [PaEN]