Stacy Garrity Calls for Pennsylvania Data Center Pause

Pennsylvania State Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity called for a total pause on new data center projects across the state during a June 8 roundtable discussion with local officials and the New Cumberland Fire Department. Garrity argued that local communities need more time to update zoning laws to manage the environmental impacts and resource strain caused by these facilities.

To mitigate these issues, Garrity proposed restricting data center development to industrial and brownfield sites. She further suggested that companies be required to provide their own energy generation and water supplies. As part of her proposal, she urged the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to investigate state deals with developers to ensure transparency.

This position creates a direct conflict with Governor Josh Shapiro, who recently introduced the Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Standards. Garrity criticized these voluntary standards as too lenient and accused Shapiro of flip-flopping in his efforts to attract the data center sector to Pennsylvania.