HB 2151 — An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for data center ordinance assistance.

PRINTER'S NO.   2778

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2151
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY DONAHUE, MULLINS, WAXMAN, PROKOPIAK, OTTEN, GIRAL,
        WEBSTER, RIVERA, SAPPEY, MAYES, BOROWSKI, SANCHEZ, MALAGARI,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, BOYD, STEELE, FRANKEL, SCOTT AND CERRATO,
        JANUARY 20, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, JANUARY 20, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled
 2      "An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third
 3      class, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships of the first
 4      and second classes including those within a county of the
 5      second class and counties of the second through eighth
 6      classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development
 7      and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land
 8      development ordinances, planned residential development and
 9      other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of
10      certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition
11      of such land; to promote the conservation of energy through
12      the use of planning practices and to promote the effective
13      utilization of renewable energy sources; providing for the
14      establishment of planning commissions, planning departments,
15      planning committees and zoning hearing boards, authorizing
16      them to charge fees, make inspections and hold public
17      hearings; providing for mediation; providing for transferable
18      development rights; providing for appropriations, appeals to
19      courts and penalties for violations; and repealing acts and
20      parts of acts," in zoning, providing for data center
21      ordinance assistance; and imposing duties on the Center for
22      Local Government Services.
23      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
24   hereby enacts as follows:
25      Section 1.    The act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known
26   as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, is amended by
27   adding a section to read:
 1      Section 607.1.   Data Center Ordinance Assistance.--(a)    No
 2   later than six months after the effective date of this
 3   subsection, the Center for Local Government Services shall
 4   develop a model zoning ordinance to assist municipalities with
 5   regulating data centers and mitigating community impacts within
 6   the boundaries of the municipalities.
 7      (b)   A model ordinance under this section shall include, but
 8   is not limited to, the following provisions:
 9      (1)   Dimensional standards, including height and size limits.
10      (2)   Setback distances from residential zones.
11      (3)   Landscape buffers, unless existing vegetation is proven
12   sufficient.
13      (4)   Mechanical screening, fencing or other visual screening
14   methods for data centers adjacent to residential areas.
15      (5)   Documentation of water and sewage system use and means
16   of receiving electric supply service.
17      (6)   Noise and vibration limits.
18      (7)   Requirements for emergency response planning.
19      (8)   Aesthetics and parking.
20      (c)   Upon request, the Center for Local Government Services
21   shall assist municipalities in identifying policy goals and
22   objectives during considerations to adopt, amend or repeal
23   zoning ordinance provisions relating to data center
24   developments.
25      (d)   Annually on or before April 1, the Center for Local
26   Government Services shall update and make any necessary
27   modifications to the model ordinance under this section.
28      (e)   Upon the authorization of the Governor, the Center for
29   Local Government Services shall have access to information,
30   services, functions and other resources in the possession of

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 1   executive agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction to fulfill
 2   its obligations under this section.
 3      (f)   As used in this section, the term "data center" shall
 4   mean a facility or group of facilities, including its ancillary
 5   uses or associated structures located on the same tract or
 6   parcel of land, that is predominantly used to house working
 7   servers or similar data storage systems and has uninterruptible
 8   energy supply or generator backup power, or both, cooling
 9   systems, towers and other temperature control infrastructure.
10      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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