Data centers are expanding rapidly across Pennsylvania, and many communities are only beginning to understand how large these facilities can impact local residents.
Modern data centers can use enormous amounts of electricity, consume large volumes of water, and create significant noise. Some facilities use as much energy as a small city.
That’s why Pennsylvanians deserve transparency when a proposed data center is being discussed in their community.
But right now, some data center companies are asking local governments to sign non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, that prevent officials from publicly discussing important details about proposed projects.
The Pennsylvania Data Center Transparency Bill (HB 2359) would stop data centers from entering into secretive NDAs with local governments.
Why data center transparency matters in Pennsylvania
As demand for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure grows, more data center projects are being proposed across Pennsylvania. AI data centers can have major impacts on:
- local electricity demand
- utility costs
- water usage
- land development
- noise levels
- traffic and infrastructure
- local tax and zoning decisions
Residents should have the right to know when large industrial-scale projects are being proposed near their homes, schools and businesses.
Local governments should also be able to discuss negotiations and development plans openly with the public instead of being pressured into secrecy agreements.
The simplest solution is to make these secrecy agreements illegal altogether.
Pennsylvania lawmakers should advance the Data Center Transparency Bill
The Data Center Transparency Bill (HB 2359) has not yet received a hearing in the Pennsylvania House committee process.
Supporters say the bill is a commonsense transparency measure that would help ensure communities are informed about major development proposals that could affect local resources and infrastructure.
As more data centers are proposed across Pennsylvania, lawmakers should act now to guarantee public transparency and accountability.
Take Action: Tell Pennsylvania lawmakers to support HB 2359
Pennsylvania communities deserve transparency when data centers are proposed in their neighborhoods.
Send a message to your state lawmakers and urge them to support the Data Center Transparency Bill (HB 2359) to stop secret NDAs between data centers and local governments.