Shapiro’s Executive Order on Data Centers Doesn’t Go Far Enough

After reviewing Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order (EO) issued on August 18, 2026 regarding the regulation of Hyperscale Data Center Development in Pennsylvania, Tonyehn Verkitus, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania (PSR PA), issued the following statement:

“While, some of the points in Governor Shapiro’s  executive order are a step in the right direction, the majority misses what communities across the commonwealth are calling for – sensible solutions to protect their communities from the onslaught of data centers and a moratorium to pause all development until data, policies, and overall economics can catch up.  

We believe that in order to best protect Pennsylvanians, a moratorium should be put into place now. Let’s join New York in enacting one and taking residents’ concerns seriously. Furthermore, to lay the groundwork, it is important to say that this EO is not a statute and does not have the full effect of law.

Many questions are left unanswered and many issues left unsolved. Here is a list of the things communities have been asking for, that this executive order does NOT do. 

This executive order:

• Does not address gaps in local zoning concerns;

• Does not provide local protections on sound, vibration, or light;

• Does not clearly address brownfields, superfund sites, decommissioning or cumulative impacts; 

• Does not require demonstration of net benefits to communities;

• Does not eliminate tax breaks to developers;

• Does not prohibit “under-the-grid” power such as small nuclear reactors or generators;

• Does not prohibit or regulate “temporary” generators;

• Does not guarantee that all power generation and related costs be borne by developers;

• Does not protect communities from the air and water impacts from gas-fired power plants, even while encouraging more energy buildout;

• Does not include specific public participation requirements;

• Does not require community benefit agreements.

• Does not prohibit Data Centers from becoming a public utility;

For these reasons, PSR PA believes that Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order is an incomplete response to the legitimate concerns being raised by communities across Pennsylvania. While we recognize the steps taken to address some of the impacts of hyperscale data centers, these measures do not go far enough to protect public health, local communities, ratepayers, and Pennsylvania’s environment. We feel that even though this is a mid-term election year, more can be done to swiftly address this issue.

We urge the Governor and General Assembly to listen to the residents who will bear the long-term consequences of these developments. We urge them to, first and foremost, enact a three-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data center development while the Commonwealth conducts a comprehensive assessment of the economic, environmental, public health, energy, water, and infrastructure impacts of this industry and develops enforceable statewide and local protections. Pennsylvania should not rush to accommodate an industry whose long-term impacts are still not fully understood.”