00:00 - Good afternoon.

00:02 - Thank you for joining us today

00:04 - i'm here today to talk about data centers in the

00:08 - executive action I'll be taking in a few moments

00:11 - to put strict guardrails

00:13 - in place on proposed projects

00:16 - to rein in data center developers

00:19 - who are trying to run over our local communities

00:23 - and to protect Pennsylvania ones from higher costs.

00:27 - I think it's important to take an honest look at how quickly

00:31 - data center development has moved over the last year

00:35 - this technology is obviously moving quite rapidly

00:39 - last summer

00:40 - i announced

00:41 - two projects that will bring thousands

00:44 - of new jobs and over twenty billion dollars

00:47 - of investment to Pennsylvania in Salem township

00:51 - in luzerne county

00:53 - and in falls township in bucks county

00:56 - since then

00:57 - we have seen an unacceptable

01:00 - number author of speculative proposals

01:03 - for data center development

01:05 - that is swapping aren't commonwealth many of them led by developers

01:10 - who have no regard

01:11 - for local communities

01:14 - local leaders like Hampton township commissioner John Michael Smith who joins us

01:19 - here today

01:20 - along with Dave sanco the president

01:23 - of p sat so you will hear from in a few moments

01:26 - will they know this reality firsthand as to thousands

01:30 - of local officials across

01:33 - our commonwealth

01:34 - today

01:35 - there are reports of more than one hundred

01:38 - data center proposals under discuss Russian

01:41 - here in our commonwealth most of those proposals are completely speculative

01:47 - and many of them haven't even taken

01:49 - the formal steps to apply to the commonwealth

01:52 - and they'll never be built.

01:54 - Though they lack detailed plans

01:57 - they have insufficient financing

01:59 - they don't have access to electricity that they

02:02 - actually need to build these data centers

02:05 - they have no agreements with tech companies

02:08 - to use the space

02:09 - should it be built while there are no AI

02:13 - data centers up and running right now in Pennsylvania

02:16 - and only five

02:18 - have the permits that they would need to even begin operating

02:22 - these speculators are nevertheless

02:24 - scaring our communities

02:27 - being aggressive with township officials

02:29 - bullying

02:30 - our neighbors our fellow Pennsylvania ins

02:33 - and refusing

02:34 - to list then

02:35 - to the people

02:37 - and

02:37 - they are threatening to fundamentally change the character of our communities.

02:43 - As your governor

02:44 - it is my job

02:45 - to listen

02:46 - and to use my authority to accomplish things

02:49 - for the people of Pennsylvania

02:51 - to protect

02:52 - the people

02:53 - of Pennsylvania

02:54 - and i have have.

02:56 - Earlier this year in my budget address i introduced

02:59 - my grid requirements

03:01 - strict protections that require data centers

03:04 - to bring their own power

03:06 - and pay for all of the costs associated

03:09 - with that electricity.

03:12 - Be transparent with the local community

03:14 - hire

03:15 - local workers and provide benefits to the local community

03:19 - and

03:20 - to protect our air

03:22 - and our water

03:23 - the house passed those grid requirements as legislation

03:27 - importantly on a bipartisan

03:30 - basis

03:31 - to put those stay Sanders in place the senate

03:34 - has refused to even bring it up for

03:37 - a vote

03:38 - in fact

03:39 - the senate majority leader even said that he has no intention

03:43 - of taking any legislative action

03:45 - to regulate data center development in Pennsylvania.

03:49 - The absence of legislative approval

03:52 - has left me with no other option

03:54 - but to protect the people of Pennsylvania by taking executive action today

04:00 - to put this strictest guard rails in the nation in place

04:04 - to stop these predatory developers

04:07 - and these bad proposals

04:09 - from infecting our commonwealth.

04:12 - I've heard heard loud and clear

04:14 - from the good people of Pennsylvania

04:16 - as I've traveled across

04:18 - our commonwealth and i'm here to say today that we will not

04:23 - be bullied

04:24 - by these

04:25 - developers

04:26 - we will not be bulldozed

04:28 - by the lawyers

04:29 - for these

04:30 - big tech companies

04:32 - that will not happen here in the commonwealth

04:35 - we have a long history in Pennsylvania

04:38 - of industry running roughshod

04:40 - over our communities to make a buck

04:42 - that stops

04:43 - with me.

04:45 - I went to Archibald

04:46 - in lackawanna county earlier this year.

04:50 - I listened to neighbors talk about where six data center campuses

04:54 - made up of about fifty one giant warehouses

04:58 - have been proposed

04:59 - in a single borough

05:01 - of seventy five hundred people roughly

05:04 - seventeen square miles

05:06 - i sat in representative mullins office and

05:09 - listened

05:10 - intently to concerned residents

05:13 - and then.

05:14 - I walked the left field line

05:16 - of any stay back park

05:18 - that left field line where

05:20 - parents should gather to watch their kids

05:23 - play little league

05:24 - instead that's where

05:26 - the corner

05:27 - of one of those data centers

05:29 - was to be built.

05:31 - Archibald

05:32 - is one of the many communities across

05:35 - Pennsylvania

05:36 - were experiencing this.

05:38 - We're also seeing it

05:39 - where my family's from

05:41 - in Montgomery county

05:42 - where one developer is trying to bully his way into forcing

05:46 - data center projects through local opposition from the community and opposition

05:52 - from local elected

05:53 - officials.

05:54 - Instead of actually respecting

05:56 - those residents.

05:58 - Of listening to them

06:00 - of understanding their concerns and trying to work with them

06:04 - the developer instead is trying to sue his way

06:07 - into building those data centers

06:10 - and in it's place he is creating.

06:13 - A whoa whole lotta chaos

06:15 - and he's stoking a lot of fear and angst

06:17 - amongst the community even though he has no

06:21 - realistic path

06:23 - to getting power to any of these sites

06:26 - anytime

06:26 - soon.

06:28 - Here's something else he has

06:29 - no realistic path of getting

06:32 - and that is

06:33 - my support short

06:34 - i'm a hell no on that project i'm a hell no on many other projects

06:39 - across Pennsylvania and they will not happen

06:43 - on my watch

06:44 - Archibald and Monaco well they're are just two examples

06:48 - of the dozens of communities across Pennsylvania

06:52 - who are being overrun

06:54 - and overwhelmed by developers who don't give a damn about us

06:59 - and think

07:00 - that they can have their way.

07:03 - While today

07:04 - i am formally putting them

07:06 - on notice

07:07 - in a few moments i will sign that executive order to put in place

07:11 - the nation's strictest guard rails on

07:14 - AI data centers

07:15 - guard rails that will hold these greedy developers accountable

07:19 - that will stop bad projects and put more power

07:24 - back into the hands

07:25 - of the local

07:26 - communities.

07:28 - Starting today

07:29 - AI data center developers

07:31 - who want to do business in our commonwealth

07:33 - must respect our communities

07:35 - and abide

07:37 - by these stringent requirements

07:39 - and

07:40 - if they can agree to do that

07:42 - well they should stop considering Pennsylvania as a home

07:45 - for their project

07:47 - i want to be clear

07:48 - these are not voluntary standards

07:51 - these are legally binding require moments

07:55 - in order to operate

07:56 - in the commonwealth and here's how it will work

08:00 - first developers will be required to provide a notice

08:04 - of intent to comply

08:07 - with the grid requirements

08:08 - second

08:09 - they'll be required to present their detailed plans to secretary Shirley

08:14 - and her uncle credible team at de p

08:16 - who will scrutinize them

08:18 - and ensure that they are sufficient

08:21 - and third

08:22 - these developers must sign a legally

08:25 - binding consent order

08:27 - locking them into these grid requirements

08:31 - and setting strict penalties

08:33 - if they fail

08:34 - to comply

08:36 - now let me remind you

08:37 - what those requirements

08:39 - are

08:40 - first

08:41 - developers must bring their own power and pay for all of the costs associated

08:47 - with that electricity

08:48 - they will not be permitted to saddle homeowners and

08:52 - businesses with the added costs

08:55 - of their development

08:57 - and

08:57 - they must get increasingly

08:59 - significant portion of that power

09:02 - from clean energy sources like solar

09:05 - advanced nuclear

09:06 - and

09:07 - battery storage

09:08 - that's something i expect you will hear more

09:11 - about from dwan Robinson the managing director

09:14 - of the nr d see in a few moments

09:17 - second they must

09:19 - respect

09:20 - our local communities by being transparent

09:23 - with the community

09:25 - by hiring

09:26 - locally

09:27 - and by offering a robust

09:29 - community benefits

09:30 - agreement

09:31 - and

09:32 - importantly

09:33 - they must

09:35 - earn earn

09:35 - local legal approval

09:38 - before they can work with us

09:41 - let me put that succinctly

09:43 - if the local community doesn't approve a project

09:46 - the state won't approve it

09:48 - either

09:50 - and third

09:51 - developers must meet

09:53 - the constitutional obligation under article one

09:56 - section twenty seven

09:57 - which guarantees each and every Pennsylvania in the right to clean air

10:01 - and to pure

10:02 - water.

10:04 - That is fundamental

10:05 - to our commonwealth

10:07 - and they must commit to the highest standards

10:10 - of environmental protection

10:12 - if a developer refuses to comply with these

10:16 - since

10:16 - they will have no pathway of getting the necessary approvals needed

10:21 - to build a data center in Pennsylvania

10:24 - let me repeat

10:25 - if a developer refuses to comply with those requirements they will have

10:30 - no pathway of getting the necessary approvals

10:34 - to build

10:35 - a dataset center

10:36 - in

10:37 - Pennsylvania

10:38 - and

10:39 - they will be disqualified from receiving the existing

10:43 - exemption on sales tax on data center equipment

10:46 - that was put in place two years

10:49 - prior to me being elected as your governor

10:51 - these are the wealthiest

10:53 - companies in the world

10:54 - they shouldn't get a tax br rake

10:56 - for gouging our

10:58 - communities.

11:00 - This executive order

11:01 - takes additional steps

11:03 - beyond making our grid requirements now legally

11:06 - enforceable

11:08 - effective immediately i am removing all data center projects

11:12 - from the fast track permitting

11:15 - program

11:16 - and this is executive order

11:18 - makes any future data center project ineligible

11:22 - for fast track

11:23 - one thing that has become

11:26 - abundantly clear to me

11:28 - from listening

11:29 - to pennsylvanians

11:30 - is that while fast track permitting has proven to be an incredible asset

11:35 - to helping us land major your economic

11:37 - development projects like Eli Lilly in the lehigh valley and

11:42 - the bellwether district in Philadelphia that is seeing

11:45 - rapid growth.

11:46 - What's become clear to me is that it is not right for these kinds

11:51 - of data centre developments

11:53 - the feedback I've gotten from people in their communities

11:56 - that has really shaped my perspective

11:59 - on this matter

12:01 - and

12:01 - while curtailing the speed of projects is important

12:05 - ending the secrecy

12:07 - is important

12:08 - as well

12:09 - too often times developers

12:11 - refuse to even give

12:13 - basic information

12:15 - to neighbors

12:16 - law like

12:17 - which tech company will occupy the AI data center

12:20 - or where the power

12:22 - will come from

12:23 - well that practice ends

12:25 - today

12:26 - in this executive order

12:28 - making clear

12:29 - that non disclosure agreements

12:31 - will not be permissible

12:33 - for data center

12:34 - projects

12:36 - it is important that dive calipers understand

12:39 - they need to be open on every single detail

12:42 - with our communities

12:44 - and

12:45 - if they won't be

12:46 - well they're not welcome to do business

12:49 - in Pennsylvania.

12:51 - Additionally

12:52 - i am directing my new special counsel on energy affordability

12:57 - to engage with the Pennsylvania utility commission

13:00 - and help establish rules and procedures that ensure pennsylvanians are protected

13:05 - from demand

13:07 - from the demand that data centers put on our energy grid

13:11 - Patrick Cicero

13:12 - who you'll hear from in a few moments who i

13:14 - worked with in the attorney general's office

13:17 - works hard to protect consumers

13:20 - everyday

13:21 - specifically

13:22 - we are going to ensure that

13:24 - any infrastructure costs caused by data centers

13:28 - are paid

13:29 - by the AI data centers

13:31 - not by a Pennsylvania homeowner

13:33 - were a business owner

13:35 - even if a data center ultimately closes

13:38 - and can't pay.

13:40 - No one's utility bills should go up because these wealthy companies don't pay

13:45 - their fair share

13:47 - they should pay for every

13:48 - penny of electricity

13:50 - that they need

13:52 - and if emergency strikes

13:53 - hear me on this

13:55 - the energy demand and the energy demand becomes

13:58 - higher

13:59 - than the grid can supply data centers will be the first ones knocked off

14:04 - not grandma or grandpa

14:06 - in their homes

14:07 - you'll hear more about this

14:08 - from our outstanding PC chairman to frank

14:12 - one pleased is here with us

14:14 - today and i'm proud that he has endorsed

14:16 - this executive order.

14:19 - Taken together

14:20 - these steps will effectively block

14:23 - objectionable

14:25 - unwarranted

14:26 - and burdensome data center projects throughout the commonwealth

14:30 - of Pennsylvania

14:31 - i'm using the the full weight of my executive authority

14:34 - to put in place immediate

14:37 - protections for the people of Pennsylvania against bad faith developers

14:41 - of AI data centers

14:44 - to the good people of Pennsylvania

14:46 - who have taken the time to talk to me in your communities

14:50 - at your rest stops at coffee shops on

14:52 - walking trails and at ballgames

14:55 - those who have

14:56 - texted me

14:57 - and shared with me your thoughtful concerns online.

15:01 - I want you to know i hear you

15:03 - and i listened

15:05 - and i also

15:06 - want you to know that i thank you

15:08 - for taking the time to share your thoughts with me

15:11 - to give me

15:12 - your ign input

15:13 - your input was heard

15:15 - and it was considered.

15:17 - I know you want the right to weigh in

15:20 - on decisions about what your community looks like going forward

15:24 - in this executive order

15:25 - allows for that

15:27 - i know you want the right to be able to weigh in on what kind of community

15:30 - you raise

15:31 - your children in

15:33 - this executive order

15:34 - puts that power back

15:36 - in our local communities

15:38 - i know you want the right to be able to say no

15:40 - to bad projects and developers

15:43 - who

15:44 - don't listen

15:45 - to your concerns

15:46 - who treat you with disrespect

15:49 - we try to raise your utility costs or pollute your resources

15:53 - this executive order

15:54 - returns that power

15:55 - to the people

15:56 - today

15:57 - with this executive order

15:59 - i'm putting these developers

16:01 - on notice

16:02 - letting them know that we will not let them

16:04 - bully

16:05 - my fellow Pennsylvania

16:07 - we will not let them disregard

16:09 - your constitutional right

16:11 - to clean air

16:13 - and to pure water

16:14 - we will not let them drive up

16:16 - your utility bills

16:18 - if these companies want to do business here

16:21 - they need to comply

16:23 - with now the strictest

16:24 - guardrails in the nation

16:26 - on data center

16:27 - development

16:28 - and that starts

16:30 - today.

16:31 - Thank you

16:32 - for your attention

16:33 - and now it's my pleasure to bring up the secretary of the department

16:36 - of environmental protection

16:38 - gesturing.

16:45 - Thank you governor shapiro.

16:47 - For the last several months

16:49 - d p has heard from thousands of Pennsylvania residents

16:53 - who are concerned about the potential impacts of data centers in their communities

16:57 - during our open public comment periods during the permit process

17:01 - or they reached out to the agency through other channels including social media.

17:06 - At dp

17:07 - our role when it comes to data centers is to review the necessary permit applications

17:11 - and conduct inspections as we would

17:14 - any other large scale development.

17:16 - Data center projects

17:18 - touch multiple programs that dp overseas from storm water and erosion control

17:23 - to sewage planning safe drinking water and storage tanks.

17:28 - The shapiro administration is committed

17:30 - to being open and transparent about data center projects and is launching

17:35 - dps new data center permit tracker

17:38 - along with the previously released

17:40 - DC edi data center planning tool kit for local governments

17:44 - to the people of penn sylvania

17:46 - governor shapiro and the department of environmental protection

17:50 - have heard you

17:51 - and we are using the tools that we have available

17:54 - to address your concerns you have highlighted

17:56 - real

17:57 - valid concerns about the impacts of

18:00 - hyperscale data center development

18:02 - that they could have on your communities utility bills

18:05 - and the environment these concerns include energy costs

18:08 - noise pollution and water usage.

18:12 - The governor's grid requirements

18:14 - mandates

18:14 - that developers

18:16 - bring their own energy source

18:17 - provide open transparent communication with local communities

18:22 - hire and train local workers and enter into meaningful

18:25 - community benefit agreements that invest in local priorities.

18:30 - Meet the highest standards

18:31 - for environmental protection including strict

18:34 - water conservation requirements

18:36 - and for that agreement

18:37 - data center developers will have their permits

18:40 - reviewed

18:41 - but not issued

18:42 - until all local land use approvals are in hand.

18:47 - If a developer chooses

18:49 - to not follow the grade requirements

18:51 - d e p will not even review their permit applications until all local land

18:57 - use approvals are granted.

18:59 - Those permits will also not be sequenced or issued when their reviews are completed

19:05 - but rather they'll risk save their permits once

19:08 - all necessary environmental permits are complete

19:11 - and will be packaged together and issued at the same time.

19:16 - I want to make it clear

19:17 - our hope

19:18 - is that all data center developers will agree to the grid requirements and work with

19:23 - us as part of the permitting process.

19:25 - Those that do

19:26 - will have their permits reviewed as they submit them

19:30 - but not before they are approved by the local municipalities.

19:34 - For those that choose not two

19:36 - we will not review your permit applications

19:39 - until all local land use approvals are obtained

19:43 - and then we will review

19:44 - all permits at once.

19:47 - Dp will continue to work to protect Pennsylvania's air land and water

19:52 - and ensure local input from the people who actually live in these communities as

19:56 - emphasized during the permitting process.

19:59 - I would now like to introduce John Matthew Smith

20:02 - the hampden township commissioner to discuss more

20:05 - about the local role in determining the appropriateness

20:08 - of data center development in a given community.

20:18 - Thank you secretary Shirley and and thank you governor shapiro for giving communities

20:23 - like Hampton township a seat at the table.

20:26 - As a result of the government's executive order

20:28 - a data center developer must obtain local approvals

20:31 - before the commonwealth will issue it's own permits

20:34 - simply put

20:35 - if a community

20:37 - if a community doesn't approve the project

20:39 - the state

20:40 - won't approve the project either.

20:42 - This is how government should work state and local

20:44 - governments working together to protect our communities.

20:48 - When we created Hampton ordinance we tried to put real enforceable protections in

20:52 - place for things like the environment

20:54 - energy costs

20:55 - transparency

20:56 - jobs and community involvement.

20:59 - When government

21:00 - what govern

21:01 - what governor shapiro is doing tech

21:03 - many of the same concerns

21:04 - address them at the state level

21:06 - this gives communities like Hampton township another layer of protection

21:10 - while still allowing it to make

21:12 - decisions locally

21:13 - that's really what local control is about

21:15 - development is fine

21:16 - but the community gets to set reasonable rules for what happens in it's own backyard.

21:21 - At this time i'd like to

21:23 - introduce that

21:24 - mister

21:24 - David

21:25 - sanko executive director of peace sets.

21:29 - For sure.

21:38 - Data centers have quickly become one of the most

21:40 - significant issues facing Pennsylvania local communities

21:43 - township meetings have been filled

21:45 - to capacity

21:46 - residents seeking

21:48 - information and sharing concerns

21:50 - about these

21:51 - proposed projects some even have had moved to larger larger spaces

21:55 - over the past couple of years

21:56 - local officials have invested significant time.

21:59 - In learning about data centers and learning about their potential impacts

22:03 - on any participated in peace as training we offered and some travel to.

22:08 - Functioning facilities in other states just to gain a

22:11 - firsthand knowledge

22:12 - of the opportunities

22:14 - and challenges that these projects

22:16 - present.

22:17 - Their work is paying off communities are carefully

22:20 - evaluating proposals asking informed questions

22:23 - making.

22:24 - Thoughtful decisions

22:26 - based on local circumstances

22:28 - and

22:28 - so some projects are moving forward

22:30 - where they make sense.

22:33 - Everything fits somewhere but everything

22:36 - does not fit

22:37 - everywhere.

22:39 - Today's announcement is important

22:40 - because it

22:41 - reinforces the fundamental principle that land use decisions are

22:45 - estimated to local level by the officials who know their community

22:48 - understand

22:49 - local conditions

22:51 - such as geography and public safety capacities

22:54 - and are accountable to the residents they serve.

22:57 - As a former local government official gov berners shapiro understands the importance

23:01 - of local decision making in the value of a strong partnership

23:04 - between state local governments who all serve the same constituents.

23:09 - I've been around Harrisburg

23:10 - through eight governors and they

23:12 - they all talked the talk

23:14 - about cooperating with local governments

23:16 - but this governor with today's executive order

23:19 - is walking the walk.

23:21 - By directing his cabinet not to permit

23:24 - issue permits before local leaders have had all their questions answered

23:27 - and make a decision the governor on behalf of the comp

23:29 - Pennsylvania township and all local governments

23:32 - across the commonwealth

23:33 - thank you for your advocacy and leadership in prioritizing

23:36 - local decision making.

23:39 - With that i'm going to introduce a

23:41 - divine Robinson

23:43 - for the nrdc.

23:53 - Good afternoon everyone

23:55 - my name is dwan Robinson and i am the managing director of playspace advocacy for

23:59 - climate and energy with the natural resources defense council.

24:02 - I lead a team at nrdc of state and regional policy advocates all across the country

24:09 - and in every singer will state

24:11 - that i work in.

24:13 - Data center soak up the political oxygen

24:16 - and cities and states are scrambling to develop solutions

24:20 - and that's why i am very proud to stand here today

24:24 - with governor shapiro

24:25 - because you are taking initiative and helping to show true leadership on this issue

24:30 - with a very smart

24:32 - very innovative approach

24:34 - to the data center problems that communities are facing

24:36 - left unchecked data centers and the AI boom

24:40 - will strain our energy grid.

24:42 - It will increase fossil fuel pollution.

24:45 - It will drive up energy bills for Pennsylvania families.

24:49 - One of the most sick inefficient ways

24:52 - to lower energy bills today is to require data

24:55 - centers to bring more of their own clean energy

24:59 - to power their facilities

25:01 - and to do it faster

25:03 - and this eo puts us down that path and helps us to fight

25:05 - climate change along the way which is a great bonus

25:08 - and governor i'd also be remiss if i didn't also briefly mention

25:12 - a highlight of your second aspect of your grid principles

25:16 - in many ways we do not know the full environmental toll

25:20 - that data centers have on communities

25:22 - and as such i am so glad that you are focused on increasing transparency

25:27 - and ensuring that communities have a real voice in this process

25:30 - so i am very be thankful to governor shapiro

25:33 - to your administration

25:35 - for your leadership and holding data centers to a higher standard

25:38 - and for your partnership within our

25:40 - c as we work to provide clean

25:42 - affordable and reliable energy in communities all across Pennsylvania

25:46 - so thank you very much.

25:48 - And next i will invite up to the state Patrick

25:51 - Cicero for the Pennsylvania utility law project

25:53 - thank you.

26:00 - Thank you to an

26:01 - thank you governor

26:02 - and.

26:03 - My name is Patrick Cicero i service of counsel

26:05 - at the Pennsylvania until the law project

26:08 - at the Pennsylvania utility law project our work seeks to ensure that Pennsylvania is

26:12 - experiencing poverty have access to safe

26:14 - reliable and affordable utility service

26:17 - this has always been difficult

26:18 - now more than ever

26:20 - what we're seeing today is a compounding threat

26:23 - rising

26:24 - energy bills driven by data center low growth

26:26 - and a regulatory system that cannot move fast

26:29 - but for too long has also been tilted against communities and

26:32 - consumers.

26:34 - In two thousand and twenty five nearly two hundred and ninety thousand pennsylvanians

26:37 - had their electric service shut off for nonpayment

26:39 - because they could not afford to pay their bill

26:42 - that has a fourteen percent increase over two thousand and twenty four.

26:45 - Our office represents families who are one bill away from losing their heat in

26:49 - November or their energy source in July

26:52 - a young family watching their utility bill gets more

26:55 - expensive every single year not because they're using more

26:58 - but because of decisions that have been made far away from their homes our office

27:03 - estimates that in the last eighteen months bills have gone up for the average family

27:07 - with average usage one hundred and seventy five dollars

27:10 - this is just a result of the energy increases caused by pjm

27:15 - you can double that if you want to count the Poles and wires distribution increases

27:19 - that have been approved at the public utility mission

27:21 - our system is broken

27:23 - this eo begins to fix that

27:26 - not only is energy an affordable it is increasingly scarce

27:29 - we have a multibillion dollar price increase

27:32 - and less reliable grid

27:34 - this is exactly why the action taken today matters

27:37 - energy affordability transparency workforce development

27:41 - environmental protection

27:42 - those four pillars say something simple

27:45 - if you want the commonwealth's tax benefits

27:47 - if you want expedited permitting interconnection you need to be responsible

27:53 - you don't get a free ride on the back of everyday Pennsylvania ones

27:56 - we cannot have a system where billion dollar companies get economic windfalls

28:01 - and a grandmother in Pennsylvania gets stuck paying the electricity bill.

28:05 - This is where the pvc comes in

28:07 - it needs to be vigilant and ensure that all costs

28:09 - caused by data centers are paid for by data centers

28:13 - they should include a requirement that data centers

28:15 - contribute to the universal service programs

28:17 - that keep low income families connected to essential utility service

28:21 - to to be clear

28:22 - we should welcome community led investment

28:25 - we should welcome community determined economic development

28:28 - we must also ensure that development for data

28:31 - centers does not lead to economic regression

28:33 - for Pennsylvania communities and families

28:36 - the executive order does just that is another step in balancing the scale on behalf

28:40 - of the communities in which we all live

28:42 - i appreciate the governor for taking this decisive and fair action

28:46 - and it gives me great pleasure to introduce my friend and the chairman of our public

28:49 - utility commission Stephen to frank.

29:01 - Hello

29:02 - my name's Stevie franken i have the great honor and privilege of serving as chairman

29:06 - of the Pennsylvania public utility commission.

29:09 - Thank governor shapiro for bringing us all together today

29:12 - and taking this very important step that he's about to take.

29:17 - Our grid in Pennsylvania is at a pivotal moment.

29:20 - The decisions we make.

29:22 - Will affect

29:23 - generations for decades to come.

29:26 - It will affect the reliability of this grid

29:29 - as well as the affordability of this grid.

29:32 - At the

29:32 - public utility commission our priorities are clear.

29:36 - Maintaining reliability

29:38 - while protecting your four ability

29:40 - for the existing customers on that grid.

29:45 - Recently earlier this year at the commission we took steps to implementing a large

29:49 - low tariff a model large load tariff

29:52 - and we believe

29:53 - this is the next step to that

29:55 - we said at the time that was only the beginning that was only the first step

29:59 - in making sure

30:01 - the cost causes of of infrastructure upgrades are paying for those

30:06 - what that large low tariff did was

30:08 - it.

30:09 - Suggested a

30:10 - contribution to the universal service fund.

30:13 - It requires significant deposits to be made

30:17 - to hopefully weed out some of those speculative.

30:21 - Developers that the governor spoke of.

30:24 - That's just the first step

30:26 - we have a lot more work to do here.

30:29 - Currently and part of

30:30 - the budget from two years ago

30:32 - the general assembly passed

30:34 - we are looking at load forecasts now

30:36 - and how those load forecasts

30:38 - are being submitted to pjm

30:41 - are they accurate forecasts because we know if we have an accurate load forecasts

30:45 - that could lead to increased costs to our

30:48 - our

30:48 - consumers

30:49 - throughout the pjm footprint.

30:52 - We're also focused on one basic principle fairness

30:55 - and that is growth

30:57 - pays for growth.

30:58 - Pennsylvania families and small businesses

31:01 - should not be asked to subsidize infrastructure needed

31:04 - to serve some of the largest energy users in the world.

31:09 - Additionally we have to realize that our utility systems our.

31:14 - Sectors are becoming more and more complementary

31:17 - we're using natural gas more

31:19 - to create electricity than we ever did before

31:22 - and we have to realize is we're building out that infrastructure

31:26 - we have to be cognizant of that the use of nature oil gas and

31:29 - and the role that that's playing

31:31 - in some of the

31:32 - development here

31:34 - additionally the governor's.

31:36 - Executive order

31:37 - calls for clean uses of power as well

31:40 - and we also support that.

31:44 - As i said we're transforming our grid

31:46 - and we have to get this right because if we don't get this right now

31:50 - it's going to be much more difficult

31:52 - to to

31:53 - recoup some of those costs that are being paid

31:56 - and.

31:57 - I applaud the governor again for bringing all the key parties here together

32:01 - for this executive or order.

32:03 - Economic development and consumer protection are not competing goals they're

32:08 - complementary goals and our response our responsibility is to make sure

32:12 - we create a framework that delivers both.

32:15 - This will require collaboration across government

32:18 - regulators

32:19 - consumer advocates utilities

32:21 - customers

32:22 - and our regional and federal partners.

32:25 - Again the commission looks forward to

32:27 - doing our part

32:28 - as an independent regulator

32:30 - supporting responsible growth

32:32 - while protecting the reliability and affordability of our existing ratepayers

32:37 - and with that i would turn the microphone back

32:38 - over to the governor and that he would get

32:40 - thanks to.

32:41 - Think.

32:43 - Thank you chairman de frank

32:44 - i'm going to sign the executive order and then I'll return to the podium

32:47 - to answer some questions.

33:11 - Laughs.

33:25 - Before i.

33:27 - Take those questions i do just want to say a special thanks to several

33:31 - leaders who helped us

33:33 - reach this day

33:35 - i want to say a special thank you to my executive

33:38 - deputy chief of staff

33:39 - Amanda warn

33:40 - my deputy chief of staff

33:42 - we are going to clap for

33:43 - Amanda Rosie i think.

33:46 - Though

33:50 - my w chief of staff

33:51 - Sam Robinson appreciate you very much.

33:55 - Though

33:58 - my deputy policy cep secretary Jacob finkel.

34:02 - Just a font to one of our deputy general counsels Jacob boyer we're incredibly

34:08 - grateful to each and every one of them and

34:11 - including many voices on the outside and i see him here

34:15 - wearing his signature hat i want to thank Rob bear for being

34:18 - a constant and strong voice for the working

34:21 - people here in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania

34:24 - we appreciate you and we hear them as well and they're reflected

34:28 - in this executive order and of course

34:30 - want to thank each member

34:32 - who spoke

34:33 - here today

34:34 - with that

34:35 - Rosie let me know what questions

34:37 - to answer.

34:39 - It

34:41 - is.

34:42 - Aggressive

34:43 - projects

34:44 - to announce.

34:47 - Ceo.

34:49 - Earlier at least some of the change earlier get it.

34:53 - Events or

34:55 - scenario.

34:57 - Well

34:58 - as i said

34:59 - in Autumn there are more than one hundred

35:01 - speculative projects that are out there right now

35:04 - and only five

35:06 - even have permits

35:08 - to move forward none are actually operational.

35:11 - This executive order comes on the heels of me back in

35:14 - February announcing the grid requirements so strengthened

35:18 - through the voices of the people of Pennsylvania who I've listened to.

35:23 - In addition to that

35:25 - what you have seen during that

35:26 - interim time period.

35:29 - Our whole bunch of developers

35:30 - who have come here to Pennsylvania we've tried to run roughshod

35:33 - over our communities

35:35 - and then finally you've seen

35:37 - a senate of Pennsylvania that's refused to act

35:39 - on regulatory policy that the house has passed

35:43 - and that leads us

35:45 - to today where i have no other choice

35:48 - then but to take this egg executive action

35:50 - to protect the good people of Pennsylvania from these predatory developers and from

35:55 - these projects that would negatively impact our communities.

35:59 - Im sorry

36:08 - that

36:08 - you are.

36:10 - It all

36:17 - to the environment.

36:19 - Then.

36:23 - Again there are only about five projects to dive even

36:26 - received permits to go forward the problem is there's.

36:30 - One hundred

36:31 - projects or so that are wreaking havoc on our communities that are

36:35 - never going to be built

36:36 - what we're doing today is taking concrete action to listen

36:41 - to the voices of the people

36:43 - to put local leaders

36:44 - back in charge

36:46 - of their communities

36:47 - and to make very very clear

36:49 - what the rules of the road are

36:51 - to be able to do business here in Pennsylvania

36:54 - this executive order

36:55 - represents the most stringent

36:58 - requirements in the entire country

37:00 - and my

37:01 - word to developers is you'd better follow

37:04 - these requirements

37:05 - otherwise you shouldn't plan to do business here.

37:20 - Without question yes i'm utilizing my legal authority as governor

37:25 - and understand that if you want to build a

37:27 - project here in the commonwealth of pence Albania

37:29 - you will now be subject to a consent order

37:32 - which will be a legally

37:34 - binding agreement

37:35 - between the developer and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania with penalties

37:39 - should you not meet

37:41 - each and every requirement under grid including

37:45 - the requirements set forth by the local government.

37:48 - Is.

37:50 - Little weird.

37:51 - Is

37:55 - that something

37:56 - what i back is what i signed here today which is the most stringent legal

38:02 - requirements in the entire country

38:04 - setting out

38:05 - clear rules of the road and making clear to developers

38:08 - if you do not follow grid

38:10 - we don't want your business we don't want you here

38:13 - you should look elsewhere

38:14 - thank you all very very much

38:17 - and and.