In the near future, I will be introducing a package of bills aimed at addressing the growing concerns surrounding the rapid expansion of large data centers across our Commonwealth. In recent years, the development of these facilities has accelerated, leaving many of our communities facing serious questions about how they will affect their residents, utility systems, farmland, water supply, long-term economic stability and their way of life.
 
While this industry brings the possibility of new economic investment, we also need to acknowledge the concerns that come with it. Data centers use large amounts of electricity and water to operate. That raises legitimate questions about whether our existing power grids and water systems can support this demand without pushing added costs onto residential ratepayers. At the same time, residents and municipal officials have expressed frustration that decisions with such significant consequences are being made without sufficient transparency or community input. Many communities, including those I represent, feel overwhelmed by the pace at which these facilities are being proposed and developed.
 
My legislative package, which is modeled on proposals from other states, will establish clear and reasonable standards to ensure that data center development in Pennsylvania occurs responsibly, transparently, and with real community involvement. These proposals are not anti-technology. They are pro-community and pro-taxpayers, grounded in the simple idea that long-term development must serve the public interest and provide real benefits to local communities.
 
As our Commonwealth positions itself in the center of the national AI and data center economy, now is the time to make sure we have the proper guardrails in place to protect our citizens and our communities.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation.