“A Model for the Nation:” Support Grows for Governor Shapiro’s GRID Requirements | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - In the week since Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2026-05, a broad coalition of environmental advocates, organized labor, industry leaders, and community members have endorsed the Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Requirements, recognizing the need for clear, enforceable requirements governing data center development in Pennsylvania.

The leaders of the National Association of Building Trades (NABTU) and Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) both announced their support for Governor Shapiro's action. NABTU President Sean McGarvey called the Governor's Executive Order "forward-thinking" and LiUNA General President Brent Booker praised them for being "commonsense."

In a new op-ed, Austin Sarat, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence & Political Science at Amherst College in Massachusetts, also called Governor Shapiro's Executive Order a "model for the nation:"

"America has an AI problem. We cannot turn our back on AI or thrive with a 'not in my backyard mentality' when it comes to AI data centers. But we also cannot adopt an anything-goes mentality as data centers come to places across the country.

"Today, the United States has more than 4,000 such facilities, with more on the way. But until this week, when Gov. Josh Shapiro issued an executive order, no one had figured out how to thread the needle between the push for AI data center development and the public's increasing resistance.

"Shapiro's action laid out clear parameters for AI data centers in his state. His Aug. 18 executive order is a reminder of what good government and smart regulation look like.

"His approach is a model for the nation. Other governors would be well advised to follow his example."

The Governor's Executive Order directs Commonwealth agencies to require all data center proposals applying for permits with the Commonwealth to comply with the GRID Requirements, blocks speculative, irresponsible data center projects from moving forward, gives local communities more power over data center development, and protects Pennsylvania residents.

Governor Shapiro also took immediate action to remove all AI data center projects from the PA Permit Fast Track Program and the Administration will not consider data center projects for the program going forward. Further, the Executive Order implements new public transparency requirements for developers, and makes clear use of nondisclosure agreements with data center projects is not permissible.

Together, the Executive Order lays out strict requirements that data center developers must meet regarding energy affordability, community engagement, workforce and economic development, transparency, and environmental protection - and gives local municipalities a greater say over development in their communities.

Here's what environmental, labor, and industry leaders are saying about Governor Shapiro's Executive Order:

President Sean McGarvey, North America's Building Trades Unions: "Data centers are critical infrastructure that underpin America's digital economy, data security, and national security. NABTU supports the GRID principles outlined by Governor Josh Shapiro and applauds his reasonable, measured approach to responsible data center development. Community benefits, environmental safeguards, energy affordability, and family-sustaining construction careers are essential, and we do not have to choose among them. Governor Shapiro's approach shows that clear standards, transparency, and accountability are the right and responsible way forward to ensure communities benefit, not the blanket moratoriums imposed in other states.

"Responsible development requires responsible actors and firm commitments from the start. It means meaningful community engagement and requiring data centers to invest in the new power generation, grid upgrades, and water infrastructure their projects require without shifting those costs onto working families. It means deploying the latest technology to conserve energy and water, planning early for workforce needs, establishing strong labor standards through project labor agreements, prioritizing local hiring, and utilizing rigorous, multi-year building trades Registered Apprenticeship programs that provide proven pathways to family-sustaining skilled trades careers.

"NABTU and our affiliates look forward to working with Governor Shapiro, other forward-thinking elected officials, and responsible developers to strengthen communities and America's skilled trades workforce and responsibly build the critical infrastructure our nation needs to remain globally competitive."

Brent Booker, General President, Laborers' International Union of North America: "We've all seen news recently about data centers, and some of them haven't been great for the communities where they've been built in. I'm driving through Pennsylvania right now and saw what Governor Shapiro did with his GRID principles on responsible contracting for data centers - and having guidelines to build future data centers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Here at LiUNA, we agree with that. We have our own five principles.

"Number one, they got to be built with the project labor agreement, using union labor - safest, most productive, skilled workforce in the world - to effectively build these data centers. Two, got to have community benefits. Make sure that these developers go meet with the community where they live and where they're going to be building these things to make sure that they are working with, in conjunction with, and with respect to the communities where they're going to be placed. Three, they're going to be built environmentally sound - make sure that they have a closed loop water system and the best technology for HVAC systems. Make sure that they're good for the environment, not bad. Four, local hire - make sure that registered apprentices, local residents, our members can build these in your own community. And five, nobody wants a power bill increased. We got to make sure - and hold these developers responsible to make sure - that each and every one of these data centers, whatever power they take off the grid, they have to put it back on.

"And if we need more power, let's make sure that power is being built by our members, by our signatory contractors, in an all of the above strategy, so moratoriums aren't going to keep us ahead of the world. It's not going to keep us ahead of China to make sure that the device you're looking at this video on is the safest, most sound, most secure device that we have, and uses the technology that's being produced out of these data centers.

"A moratorium is going to let other countries around the world be the leaders. We got to do that here in the United States. We got to do what Governor Shapiro did. Make sure we have common sense building for these data centers, and do it with union labor."

Carolyn Heckman, Associate Director of Pennsylvania Policy for EEN Action: "As a historic energy leader, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to be a national leader in development while protecting the health and lives of our children. As developers propose to build data centers next to our homes, schools, and playgrounds, they must lead with responsible development that doesn't bring polluted air, water shortages, and higher power bills to our doorsteps. Governor Shapiro's executive order is a positive step toward ensuring this happens. However, we can not stop here. We encourage the administration and legislature to work together on lasting bipartisan legislative solutions, like HB 1834, for responsible data center development to protect the health and pocketbooks of Pennsylvania families."

Jesse Lee, Senior Advisor, Climate Power: "Governor Shapiro is showing real leadership by making clear that the AI boom cannot mean higher utility bills for families or an epidemic of air pollution in our communities. There is always more work to do, but this stands in stark contrast to Republicans who have handed giant tech companies a blank check, and a Trump Administration that is weakening clean air protections and making it harder for communities to have a say when new pollution threatens their health. We need more leaders like Governor Shapiro who stand up for working families and make powerful corporations pay their own way."

Kartik Amarnath, Mid-Atlantic Regulatory Director, Vote Solar: "We thank Governor Shapiro for taking this important step to ensure that data centers are held accountable for their growing energy use and impacts on Pennsylvania's communities. Now more than ever, data centers must be held accountable for their contributions to rising utility costs and grid reliability risks. While more work must be done on this front, especially by the state's Public Utility Commission, this executive order represents meaningful progress, and we're encouraged to see the administration respond to the concerns raised by communities across the state."

Former Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick J. Murphy also released a new op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, calling the Governor's Executive Order, "the sensible middle on data centers."