Legislation soon to be introduced in the Pennsylvania state Senate would create a statewide data center impact fee.
The bill would help ensure that communities hosting data centers have the resources necessary to accommodate responsible data center development while addressing local impacts. While data center development brings opportunities for investment, construction and economic growth, it also places substantial demands on public infrastructure, local roads, water resources, emergency services and the environment.
Under the bill, an annual impact fee would be assessed on qualifying data centers based on the facility’s size and electricity demand. The fee would provide predictable annual revenue throughout a facility’s operating life and would be modeled after the state’s Marcellus Shale impact fee program.
“Pennsylvania has already demonstrated through its Marcellus Shale impact fee that a statewide fee and distribution model can direct meaningful resources toward communities affected by major industrial development,” state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford) said in a memo seeking co-sponsors for the bill. “A similar framework for data centers would provide a consistent, transparent approach to addressing the infrastructure and environmental demands associated with this growing industry.”
The Marcellus Shale impact fee provides a framework for collecting revenue and distributing funds to communities and statewide programs affected by industry development.