PA Environment Digest Blog: Sen. Muth To Introduce Legislation To Prohibit A.I. Data Center Developers From Becoming Public Utilities With Power To Condemn Private Property For Their Own Use

On May 29, Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery) announced she would be introducing legislation to prohibit A.I. data centers from becoming public utilities to prevent developers from being given authority to condemn private property for their own use.

Food & Water Watch Senior Pennsylvania Organizer Ginny Marcille-Kerslake issued the following statement--

“Senator Muth’s bill is a necessary response to Pennsylvania’s growing data center crisis. Data centers are not public utilities. They are private, for-profit industrial developments built to serve some of the wealthiest corporations in the world.

“Too many lawmakers in Harrisburg continue to ignore the people on the ground while clearing the path for Big Tech behind closed doors. That has to end.

“ If legislators are serious about protecting their constituents, they will co-sponsor this bill and make it clear that data centers do not get public utility powers, do not get eminent domain, and Pennsylvania is not for sale.”

Sen. Muth has also announced plans to introduce a statewide three-year data center moratorium, as developers have submitted proposals for at least 23 hyper-scale data centers in Pennsylvania to robust community opposition.

Related Articles This Week - Data Centers:

-- Gov. Shapiro Releases Full Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards (GRID) For A.I. Data Centers; New Local Government Data Center Planning Toolkit [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: Comments On Gov. Shapiro’s GRID Standards For A.I. Data Centers

-- Republican Candidate For Governor Stacy Garrity Calls For ‘Pause’ In Development Of A.I. Data Centers To Allow Time For Communities ‘To Protect Themselves’ [PaEN]

-- Republican Senate, House Members Introduce Bills To Repeal A.I. Data Center Tax Break, Give Municipalities Authority To Enact An 18-Month Moratorium; Bills Not Likely To Move In The Senate, Republicans Opposed Data Center Bills In House [PaEN]

-- PUC: Electric Utilities Changing Cost Of Electricity For Customers On June 1 From 0.05% to 19.8% [PaEN]

-- PUC Hearings Begin June 10 On Proposed UGI Electric 12.8% Rate Increase [PaEN]

-- PUC Schedules In-Person, Telephonic Public Hearings On 13.1% Rate Increase Proposed By Peoples Natural Gas Starting June 2 [PaEN]

-- Choose Clean Water Coalition: Legislative Recommendations To Protect Pennsylvania's Waterways For The Future - Agriculture, Abandoned Mines, PFAS, Lead, A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]

-- North American Electric Reliability Corp Summer Reliability Outlook Says Record Additions Of Generation- Solar, Batteries And Some Natural Gas- Have Strengthened Readiness, But Elevated Risks Remain [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For PPL Electric Tek Park Transmission Line Project To Connect To Proposed A.I. Data Center In Upper Macungie Twp., Lehigh County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On PECO Brandon Shores Retirement 500 kV Transmission Line Reconstruction Project Stormwater Permit In York County [PaEN]