Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro defends state action aimed at regulating AI data centers, says he will not allow developers to “run roughshod”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he does not want developers “running roughshod” as the state confronts the expansion of AI-focused data centers, arguing that local communities need safeguards against disruptive large-scale construction. Shapiro made the comments in an interview with CBS Mornings, according to CBS News Politics.

In the CBS interview, Shapiro said that Pennsylvania has seen developers “trying to bulldoze our community,” and he framed the state’s approach as a way to ensure projects are handled with more restraint and respect for existing neighborhoods. He did not, in the CBS report, specify technical details in the quote, but the interview tied the remarks to a Pennsylvania order affecting AI data centers.

The CBS report described Shapiro’s position in the context of how quickly data-center development has moved from planning to construction in parts of the state, particularly as demand for computing infrastructure has surged. Shapiro argued that the pace and scale of development require more consistent oversight than he said some past projects have provided.

Shapiro’s remarks also focused on process and enforcement, emphasizing the need to constrain development behavior when communities say they face avoidable impacts. CBS reported that Shapiro portrayed the issue as one of developers disregarding community concerns rather than simply responding to market demand.

The CBS report referenced Shapiro’s view of what the state is trying to accomplish through its action affecting data centers: to prevent development practices that, in his characterization, leave communities with limited recourse. The practical effect, as described in the interview, is intended to reduce the likelihood that major construction projects proceed without adequate attention to community impacts.

Shapiro’s comments come amid ongoing national debates over the siting of data centers, including questions about land use, permitting timelines, utility demand, traffic and construction impacts, and local government authority. In Pennsylvania’s case, the CBS report ties his position to state-level authority to manage how projects proceed.

It was not clear from the CBS report alone which specific provisions are included in the “order” referenced in the interview, or whether the action is the same as any particular prior executive action or regulatory directive. For that reason, readers would need to consult the text of Pennsylvania’s order or the relevant state agency materials to confirm the exact requirements and enforcement mechanisms.