2 Data Center Bills By Bucks Co. Lawmaker Move To PA Senate

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — Two bills co-sponsored by State Rep. Brian Munroe that would establish safeguards at AI data centers have passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Munroe is calling on the PA State Senate to forward them to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk to be signed into law.

The bills would mandate the annual reporting of energy consumption and water consumption by the data centers so that the legislature can act accordingly, Munroe said.

The bills would also direct municipalities to adopt local ordinances to limit harmful impacts on nearby communities, including provisions for sound barriers, setback distances, building design standards, equipment modifications, and other measures to reduce community disruptions.

Amazon has plans for a data center to be located in the Keystone Trade Center in Falls Township.

Amazon is planning to spend at least $20 billion to set up the high-tech cloud computing and artificial intelligence innovation campuses in Pennsylvania.

According to Shapiro's office, since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $26 billion in Pennsylvania, including infrastructure and compensation to employees.

The current Amazon footprint in the state includes 23 fulfillment and sortation centers and 20 last-mile delivery stations.

The first-ever bill regulating data centers was passed in the Pennsylvania state legislature earlier this month, as policymakers scramble to catch up with the impacts that facilities being used to power artificial intelligence systems have on the electrical grid and the environment.

The bill seeks to prevent big tech companies, who often shroud their identities when introducing proposals, from pushing the costs of increased electrical usage back to taxpayers through utility hikes.

The bill would also require data centers to be powered by larger amounts of in-state renewable energy sources, like wind and solar.