Mayor Parker Creates Task Force to Study Hyperscale Data Centers

Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order on September 17, 2026, creating the Philadelphia Data Center Task Force to study the potential impacts of hyperscale data centers, defined as facilities exceeding 100,000 square feet. Co-led by the Office of Sustainability and the Office of Clean and Green, the task force will research safety, fiscal, and environmental effects to recommend regulations for facility size and placement. A final report is due by June 30, 2027.

The initiative follows protests by the activist group No Data Centers in Philly, which has demanded an immediate multiyear moratorium on development to protect local communities. While Parker stated the task force ensures residents have a voice in decisions affecting their health and environment, activists argue the measure is insufficient.

Currently, no hyperscale data centers exist in Philadelphia. City Council members representing the only two viable land plots have expressed opposition to such facilities, with Council President Kenyatta Johnson stating he does not support hyperscale data centers. The move aligns with a recent executive order from Governor Josh Shapiro that limits speculative data center development across Pennsylvania and prohibits state agencies from signing non-disclosure agreements with developers.