Bartolotta bill would accelerate permitting for Pa. data centers
Companion legislation will also be introduced in the state House.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta plans to introduce legislation aimed at accelerating permitting for data center projects.
Bartolotta is joining state Reps. Eric Nelson, R-Westmoreland, Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna, and Jamie Barton, R-Berks/Schuylkill, who earlier this year announced plans to introduce a version of the legislation in the state House.
According to a news release from Bartolotta, the legislation directs the Department of Environmental Protection to create approved earthwork, stormwater and air permits to developers who commit to improved environmental outcomes by meeting or exceeding design standards.
“The idea of artificial intelligence is not being pulled from a science fiction novel — it is a rapidly emerging technology that is at our doorstep,” Bartolotta said. “Pennsylvania is primed to become a hub for cultivating the most significant technological shift since the Industrial Revolution. Accelerating the construction of data centers will be pivotal to staying ahead of the curve.”
This legislation follows President Donald Trump’s and U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s announcement of a $90 billion investment to develop AI infrastructure in the state at last week’s Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh.
At the summit, 20 companies announced AI investments in the state. Some of the more notable companies were Google, Meta, and GE Vernova.
Some of those investments are coming to the Mon Valley with GE Vernova announcing up to $100 million of investment in Pennsylvania facilities, including creating 250 new jobs by expanding a power grid equipment manufacturing plant in Charleroi.
It’s part of a larger plan by GE Vernova to create approximately 700 new jobs across multiple factories in Pennsylvania. It’s an extension of a $600 million multi-year investment aimed at boosting factories and creating more than 1,500 new U.S. jobs that was initially announced in January.
