Ciresi bill requiring transparency in data center development passes House
Rep. Joseph Ciresi June 30, 2026 | 4:33 PM
HARRISBURG, June 30 – Legislation introduced by state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, to increase transparency in data center development in Pennsylvania passed the House today with overwhelming bipartisan support,171-31.
“Today’s vote demonstrates how my colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree that Pennsylvanians shouldn’t be left in the dark about the impact data centers will have on their localities and their lives,” Ciresi said. “My necessary legislation would require developers to be open and transparent about the environmental impact with area residents and would give the public the opportunity to ask questions and express concerns about the proposed development.”
House Bill 2359 would require developers of data centers with a peak electrical demand of over 10 megawatts to engage with local communities and their residents before construction and disclose information about the facilities’ impact to qualify for a sales tax exemption for data center-related computer equipment.
The legislation specifically targets large-scale/high-impact data centers and excludes smaller data centers that do not pose the same environmental or quality-of-life risks to nearby residents.
Qualifying data centers would specifically be required to:
- submit a “community protection plan” documenting the owner/operator’s engagement with the community and municipality before construction, including holding public meetings and pre-construction consultations with the municipality.
- complete an annual project footprint report on estimated local water and energy usage.
- refrain from entering into any non-disclosure agreement with government agencies.
“My legislation will foster accountability, transparency and public involvement in data center development in Pennsylvania,” Ciresi said. “We cannot allow the public to be kept in the dark about major developments in their communities, such as data centers, and their potential impact on residents’ lives. Elected officials must be able to share information with the people they represent and hear directly from them.”
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.