Newly introduced legislation would require high impact developments (including projects such as data centers, petroleum storage facilities, and waste handling facilities) to submit a detailed analysis of the impacts of its development on the municipality.  That analysis may include costs of traffic features, infrastructure costs, emergency management services, projected sewer and storm water damage to agricultural lands, parks and open space impact on neighborhoods as well as harm to neighboring properties and wildlife. Municipalities would then have the power to approve the development, approve it with conditions with conditions or disapprove it.

According to the prime sponsor, Representative Maureen Madden, "reasonable and responsible development is expected in life as it creates jobs, expands, economic opportunities and supplies needed, housing in growing regions. But that development needs to take into account the impact it has on the rest of us. HB1764 was passed by the House Local Government committee on December 17 and is presently laid on the table of the PA House of Representatives.

House Bill 2061, introduced by House Energy Committee Chair Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Phila), would require data center developers to pay the prevailing wage on all construction projects in order to remain eligible for the state sales tax exemption. This new requirement applies regardless of whether the project meets other coverage limitations described under the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act.  House Bill 2061 was referred to the House Finance Committee on December 3. 

Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton signed writs of election to replace State Representatives Josh Siegel and Dan Miller, who resigned this month to take on new roles at the County level. Siegel was elected in November to serve as the next Lehigh County Executive, while Miller will serve as an Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas judge. The special elections in the 22nd and 42nd districts will be held on Tuesday, February 24th.

A date has also been set for special elections to replace Republican Representatives Torren Ecker and Lou Schmitt, who were also elected to their respective Courts of Common Pleas. Those Special Elections will be held on March 17. Little legislative activity is expected in the intervening time before the specials are held. The House is scheduled to be in session the last week of January, and the first week of February, the latter week to be culminated in the Governor’s annual budget address, followed by several weeks of break for budget hearings by the Appropriations Committees and various agencies.

HB660 RE: Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards(by Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, et al)

The Pennsylvania Energy and Water Efficiency Standards Act provides for minimum energy and water efficiency standards for certain products sold in this commonwealth; imposes penalties; and repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this act. Outlines legislative findings. Establishes what products the provisions of this act apply to. Specifies limitations. Provides definitions. Requires the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) to promulgate regulations establishing minimum efficiency standards for the types of new products listed no later than one year after the effective date, outlining the minimum efficiency standards that the regulations shall provide for. Provides for implementation, detailing the requirement of efficiency and the restriction on installation. Directs EQB to set efficiency standards on a determination that increased efficiency standards would serve to promote energy or water conservation in this commonwealth and would be cost-effective for consumers who purchase and use the products, provided that no increased efficiency standards shall become effective within one year following the adoption of any amended regulations establishing increased efficiency standards. Provides for product testing imposes duties on the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Requires compliance through DEP certification and compliance to mark, label or tag products, adding that manufacturers of new products listed shall meet the requirements if the manufacturers record the new products in a nationwide database. Permits DEP to cause periodic inspections to be made of distributors or retailers of new products listed in order to determine compliance. Outlines the complaint process. Abrogates all regulations and parts of regulations to the extent of any inconsistency with the provisions of this act. Effective in 60 days. (Prior PN: 620)   (PN 620) The Pennsylvania Energy and Water Efficiency Standards Act provides for minimum energy and water efficiency standards for certain products sold in this commonwealth; imposes penalties; and repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this act. Outlines legislative findings. Establishes what products the provisions of this act apply to. Specifies limitations. Provides definitions. Requires the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) to promulgate regulations establishing minimum efficiency standards for the types of new products listed no later than one year after the effective date, outlining the minimum efficiency standards that the regulations shall provide for. Provides for implementation, detailing the requirement of efficiency and the restriction on installation. Directs EQB to set efficiency standards on a determination that increased efficiency standards would serve to promote energy or water conservation in this commonwealth and would be cost-effective for consumers who purchase and use the products, provided that no increased efficiency standards shall become effective within one year following the adoption of any amended regulations establishing increased efficiency standards. Provides for product testing and imposes duties on the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Requires compliance through DEP certification and compliance to mark, label or tag products. Permits DEP to cause periodic inspections to be made of distributors or retailers of new products listed in order to determine compliance. Outlines the complaint process. Abrogates all regulations and parts of regulations to the extent of any inconsistency with the provisions of this act. Removed from table, 12/17/2025.

HB513 RE: Updating the PA State Plane Coordinate System (by Rep. Eric Davanzo, et al)

The Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System Act provides for Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System, for notation requirements and for duties of State Geospatial Coordinating Board; and repeals the act entitled “An act to describe, define, and officially adopt a system of coordinates for designating the positions of points on the surface of the earth within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” insofar as it is inconsistent with this act. Asserts the most recent system of plane coordinates based on the National Spatial Reference System known as the State Plane Coordinate System shall be adopted and known as the Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System, the parameters to be defined and published by the National Geodetic Survey. Directs the Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System to be comprised of a single zone with full coverage of the commonwealth, for statewide geospatial datasets, and a set of smaller regional zones, established by the National Geodetic Survey, with the same amount of coverage, for engineering or surveying projects. Asserts the plane coordinates of a point on the earth’s surface be expressed by two distances, known as the east or x-coordinate and the north or y-coordinate, in meters or international feet and that any document using coordinates from the Pennsylvania State Plane Coordinate System must contain specified information. Directs the State Geospatial Coordinating Board to give notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication upon the release of the State Plane Coordinate System 2022. Asserts this act does not prohibit appropriate use of other geodetic systems. Sections 8 and 11 of this act are effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective upon publication of the notice under Section 8.

Reported as amended from House Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations Committee, read first time, and Laid on the table, 12/15/2025 

HB1764 RE: Development Impact Study (by Rep. Maureen Madden, et al)

Amends the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in subdivision and land development, providing for potentially impacted municipalities and further providing for approval of plats and for completion of improvements or guarantee thereof prerequisite to final plat approval; providing an article for developments of regional significance and impact; and, in zoning hearing board and other administrative proceedings, further providing for jurisdiction. Directs a person who proposes a subdivision or development of land to, within 10 days of submitting an application for preliminary plat approval, inform the county or regional planning commission and the governing body of each contiguous municipality in writing that the person's application may constitute a development of regional significance and impact if the application proposes a development listed under section 506-B(b). Stipulates that within 30 days of receiving a notification under subsection (a), a potentially impacted municipality or the county or regional planning commission may request an impact analysis under section 507-B. Provides for impact analysis and review periods. Outlines the purposes of Article V-B. Provides several definitions. Establishes the article’s applicability and non-applicability. Provides the article’s construction. Requires duty to prepare for impact analysis. Lists types of development where an impact analysis is required. Directs an applicant to submit the impact analysis. Asserts the applicant is responsible for the costs of the analysis. Lists the required contents of the impact analysis. Requires distribution of the analysis. Further requires a municipality to provide a notice for a public hearing, specify the purpose of the hearing and hold a public hearing. Elaborates on the decision process. Stipulates that once a proposed land development is classified as a development of regional significance and impact, the proposed land development shall be subject to the provisions of this article. Permits waiver. Requires submission of a litigation plan and professional review. Orders the applicant to pay costs for the mitigation plan. Permits the opportunity to request a coordinated and expedited review. Requires the assurance of adequate communication and cooperation among government entities. Mandates the submission of information and reporting. Provides for discretion of governmental entities and for fees. Highlights the process for municipal review and decision. Provides additional standards and criteria and financial considerations. Requires general notice. Outlines the appeals process. Revises the jurisdiction provision to include applications for a proposed land development under Article V-B.

Reported as amended from House Local Government Committee, read first time, and laid on the table, 12/17/2025