PA Senate Bill To End State Permits For Data Ctrs & Power Plants; Public Review Gone, DEP Must Approve In 3 Days

On September 5, Senators Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington) and Patrick Stefano (R-Fayette) introduced Senate Bill 991 that would eliminate the need for any state permits before construction of A.I. data centers and related power plants.

Under the bill, all a data center developer would have to submit to DEP before site construction begins is a simple notice with the location of the center, information on energy source and capacity of any power generation facility, electric transmission infrastructure and local zoning clearance (if any). An engineer must apply a seal to the information to certify (promise) that the basic information in the notice “meets or exceeds the standards required by all applicable laws and regulations to which the permit pertains.” The developer is not required to submit any permit applications with the notice. DEP is given three days to “confirm receipt” of the notice and issue a notice to proceed with site construction.

EDIT

Under phase 2 of the new process in the bill, data center developers must submit final designs and engineering plans for the center along with air quality permit applications (presumably for any power plants with the projects 60 days before construction begins. This information again must be sealed by an engineer promising that they meet or exceed standards in applicable laws. Within three days of receiving this information, DEP is required to “confirm receipt” of the information and must issue a notice to proceed with construction of the data center and power plant.

There is no reference to Chapter 102 (erosion and sedimentation) or Chapter 105 (floodway and encroachments) or any other permit applications that need to be completed or approved by DEP for these huge projects. Public review is eliminated for any state permit applications before construction begins and not required for any information submitted under the bill.

EDIT

https://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2025/09/pa-senate-republicans-introduce-bill-to.html