Pennsylvania Governor Criticizes Data Center Developers for Disregarding Communities
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro criticized many data center developers for not caring about the communities where they build their projects during an interview on CNBC's 'Squawk on the Street.' His remarks followed a comment by President Donald Trump suggesting that opposition to AI data centers is rooted in wanting to remain poor and backward. Shapiro, who signed an executive order on August 18 aimed at regulating data center development, emphasized his desire for companies that collaborate with local communities. The new requirements mandate compliance with the Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) standards and remove AI projects from fast-track approval processes. He stated these are among the strictest in the country. Shapiro is running for re-election against Republican nominee Stacy Garrity, while also being considered a potential candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
Topics: AI infrastructure data centers economic development state policy