HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry today proposed that any proposal to ban data center development should include a No Technology Pledge amendment, a commonsense accountability measure for anyone seeking to block the development of data centers while continuing to rely on the digital tools, platforms, and services those facilities make possible. “The pledge is simple,” PA Chamber Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Jon Anzur said. “If you support stopping data center development, you should also agree to stop using the technologies that depend on data centers. Pennsylvania has a choice: We can lead in energy, innovation, and infrastructure to drive meaningful investments and job growth in communities across Pennsylvania, or we can tell the next generation of employers to create those opportunities somewhere else. What we cannot do is demand instant access to every digital convenience while opposing the infrastructure that makes those conveniences possible. Data centers are not a fit for every community, but there are many that would benefit from hosting this critical infrastructure.” The PA Chamber’s No Technology Pledge asks supporters of data center bans to commit to the following: Stop using social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok Stop using AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot Stop streaming movies, music, or videos through Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, or similar platforms Stop shopping through Amazon and other e-commerce platforms Stop using Venmo, PayPal, online banking, mobile deposits, and digital payment apps Stop storing photos, videos, documents, or backups in iCloud, Google Photos, OneDrive, or other cloud services Stop using GPS navigation and real-time traffic apps Stop working remotely or participating in video conferences Stop receiving emergency weather alerts Stop emailing, texting, and FaceTiming Stop using credit cards, debit cards, and digital point-of-sale systems Stop using telehealth services or accessing online medical records Stop relying on cloud-based cybersecurity, logistics, payroll, accounting, or customer service systems The PA Chamber emphasized that communities deserve transparency, responsible siting and permitting, reliable energy and water planning, and meaningful local engagement. To ensure that local governments can achieve these ends, the PA Chamber’s Energy & Innovation Institute recently developed a Model Ordinance for responsible data center development available on its website. But broad moratoriums and de facto bans on data center development would undermine economic growth, job creation, innovation, and Pennsylvania’s ability to compete in a technology-driven economy. Data centers support more than artificial intelligence. They enable cloud computing, cybersecurity, e-commerce, logistics, banking, health care advancements, weather forecasting, public safety communications, workforce flexibility, advanced manufacturing, and the countless digital transactions and applications that define daily life. Through its Energy & Innovation Institute, the PA Chamber is working with policymakers, employers, and local community leaders to advance a responsible data center strategy that protects consumers and ratepayers, strengthens the electric grid, supports local communities, and positions Pennsylvania as a national leader in innovation and economic growth. Learn more at www.pachamber.org/peii.