Pennsylvania House approves data‑center pause bill and GRID incentive framework

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed two bills addressing data‑center development. House Bill 2496, approved 201‑1, authorises municipalities to impose a temporary pause of up to 180 days on land‑use applications for new data centers, giving local officials time to update zoning rules, assess water and energy impacts and address community concerns. The bill was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Paul Friel.

In a separate vote, the House approved House Bill 2650, 134‑68, which would codify Governor Josh Shapiro’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) framework into law. The framework ties state tax incentives for data‑center projects to strict accountability standards, mandatory annual reporting, workforce‑development targets, community‑engagement requirements and clean‑energy provisions. Developers would need certification from the Department of Revenue and the Office of Transformation and Opportunity to qualify for fast‑track permits and tax perks.

Both measures now move to the Senate. Industry groups such as the Data Center Coalition, representing firms like Amazon, Google and Microsoft, have warned that the GRID standards could hinder investment. The legislation comes as Amazon Web Services builds a multi‑billion‑dollar data‑center campus at the Keystone Trade Center in Falls Township.