Pennsylvania SB 1345: An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in zoning, providing for optional temporary moratorium on acceptance or consideration of new applications for high impact data centers.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1766 PRINTER'S NO. 1889
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1345
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, GEBHARD, DUSH, PENNYCUICK AND BARTOLOTTA,
JUNE 4, 2026
SENATOR PITTMAN, RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, RE-REPORTED AS
AMENDED, JULY 11, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled
"An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third
class, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships of the first
and second classes including those within a county of the
second class and counties of the second through eighth
classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development
and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land
development ordinances, planned residential development and
other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of
certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition
of such land; to promote the conservation of energy through
the use of planning practices and to promote the effective
utilization of renewable energy sources; providing for the
establishment of planning commissions, planning departments,
planning committees and zoning hearing boards, authorizing
them to charge fees, make inspections and hold public
hearings; providing for mediation; providing for transferable
development rights; providing for appropriations, appeals to
courts and penalties for violations; and repealing acts and
parts of acts," in zoning, providing for optional TEMPORARY
moratorium on filing ACCEPTANCE or consideration of new
applications for high impact data centers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known
as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, is amended by
adding a section to read:
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Section 622. Optional TEMPORARY Moratorium on Filing
A CCEPTANCE or Consideration of New Applications for High Impact
Data Centers.--(a) A municipality may impose by ordinance
RESOLUTION a temporary moratorium prohibiting the filing or
consideration of documents relating to ON ACCEPTANCE AND
CONSIDERATION OF NEW APPLICATIONS FOR high impact data centers
as follows:
(1) A moratorium may last no longer than 18 months from
the ordinance's effective date. THE DURATION OF A TEMPORARY
MORATORIUM MAY NOT EXCEED 18 MONTHS AND SHALL BE RETROACTIVE
TO THE DATE WHEN THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE MUNICIPALITY GAVE
PUBLIC NOTICE AS REQUIRED UNDER 65 PA.C.S. § 709(C.1)
(RELATING TO PUBLIC NOTICE).
(2) A prohibition TEMPORARY MORATORIUM may apply to an
application, petition or submission seeking THAT SEEKS
approval, review or relief for a high impact data center,
including, but not limited to:
(i) a zoning map or text amendments specific to a
site or use;
(ii) conditional uses, special exceptions or
variances; OR
(iii) land development plans or subdivision
applications . ; or
(iv) a building permit or certificate tied to an
approval for a high impact data center when the permit or
certificate requires prior land use or zoning approval.
(3) A TEMPORARY moratorium may not:
(i) prohibit the consideration or filing of
documents unrelated to high impact data centers;
(ii) affect data centers that do not meet the
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definition of a "high impact data center" under
subsection (i) (L) ;
(iii) suspend enforcement actions or remedial
proceedings for violations of law; or
(iv) impair routine maintenance or safety upgrades
at existing HIGH IMPACT DATA CENTER facilities.
(b) (1) A moratorium ordinance TEMPORARY MORATORIUM
RESOLUTION RELATED TO APPLICATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT DATA
CENTERS shall identify the planning, study or ordinance-
development activities to be undertaken during the TEMPORARY
moratorium, which may include:
(i) infrastructure capacity assessments, including,
but not limited to, assessments relating to water,
wastewater or an electrical ELECTRIC grid;
(ii) public safety and emergency services impact
analysis;
(iii) environmental and community impact
evaluations; and
(iv) drafting and consideration of zoning,
subdivision and land development, or other municipal code
amendments addressing high impact data centers.
(2) A municipality shall make reasonable progress on the
activities listed under paragraph (1) during the TEMPORARY
moratorium period identified in the ordinance .
(c) Prior to the adoption of a moratorium ordinance
TEMPORARY MORATORIUM RESOLUTION under this section, the
governing body shall conduct a public hearing with notice as
required by this act. The ordinance shall include findings
supporting the necessity of the moratorium and identifying the
moratorium's relationship to the planning activities in
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