HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has approved bipartisan legislation that would allow municipalities to temporarily halt consideration of data center applications while updating local zoning rules, responding to growing concerns over the rapid expansion of energy-intensive facilities across the state.
House Bill 2496, sponsored by state Rep. Paul Friel, D-Chester, passed Wednesday and now heads to the state Senate. The measure would authorize municipalities to impose a pause of up to six months on data center applications while adopting, amending or repealing land-use ordinances governing such developments.
The legislation also provides that the pause takes effect when public notice of the relevant municipal meeting agenda is issued, making any applications submitted during that period subject to newly adopted local regulations.
“This pause window allows local governments the time they need to thoroughly research, draft and pass comprehensive land-use ordinances pertaining to data centers,” Friel said. “The bill gives our local officials necessary breathing room to update these ordinances, evaluating demands like water and energy usage and other considerations related to protecting our communities from potential harms caused by data center development.”
Supporters argue the proposal closes a gap in Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code, which currently allows local governments to temporarily halt development only through a municipal curative amendment. That process requires a municipality to declare its own zoning ordinance invalid, can be preempted if a developer files an application first, and may only be used once every three years.
Friel argued the existing process is inadequate as data center proposals accelerate statewide, adding that local governments need stronger planning tools to avoid a “race to file” by developers.
State Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna, a co-sponsor, called the legislation a way to strengthen local oversight of large-scale projects.
“Large-scale data centers cannot be allowed to bypass community scrutiny,” Mullins said. “With development surging across Pennsylvania, this bill ensures critical local oversight and forces transparency before any projects are approved.”
State Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-Lackawanna, another co-sponsor, described the measure as giving municipalities time to evaluate proposals before making zoning decisions.
“This legislation gives communities the opportunity to take a brief pause, gather the facts, engage residents and develop thoughtful ordinances that protect public safety and quality of life before these projects move forward,” Donahue said. “Good planning takes time, and local governments deserve the ability to make informed decisions.”
State Rep. Chris Pielli, D-Chester, another co-sponsor, argued the proposal would help communities assess the impacts of industrial-scale development.
“We cannot allow the rapid expansion of data centers to outpace the safety and logic of our local zoning,” Pielli said. “We are taking on headfirst the harmful impacts of rapid, unregulated industrial development on residential areas by taking a needed pause to enable our local governments to protect the health, safety and welfare of all Pennsylvanians.”
The bill now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.
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