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Pennsylvania Tightens Data Center Rules With New Executive Order
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order on Aug. 18 that imposes new permitting, transparency, energy, and environmental requirements on large data centers. The executive order also gives local governments a greater role in determining whether data center projects move forward.
Recent News
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    The competition challenges students to tackle technology and infrastructure needs for future Moon missions.
  2. FCC FCC Seeks Public Comments on Proposal That Could Eliminate E-Rate
    The FCC’s review is raising new questions about the federal government’s role in supporting internet connectivity for schools and libraries.
  3. California Launches AI Cyber Defense Program
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Aug. 10 a new artificial intelligence (AI) cyber defense initiative aimed at protecting state systems, local governments, and critical infrastructure from AI-enabled cyber threats.
  1. New York ITS, IBM Sign Enterprise Agreement to Expand AI, Hybrid Cloud Tools
    The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) announced on Aug. 13 a new enterprise agreement with IBM that will expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud tools across participating state agencies while delivering an estimated $6 million in taxpayer savings over the next three years.
  2. CISA Rolls Out Cybersecurity Resource Package for K-12 Schools
    CISA’s new resources outline eight cybersecurity objectives to help K-12 schools and districts strengthen their defenses against growing cyber threats.
  3. Senate Bill Would Expand EPA’s Cyber Authority Over Water Systems
    The legislation would give EPA new authority to assess cyber risks and require fixes at water utilities while boosting federal cybersecurity funding.
  4. Marine Corps to Host AI Hackathon Focused on GenAI.mil Agent Development
    The multi-day event at the Naval Postgraduate School will bring together Marines, government agencies, industry, and academic partners to develop AI-enabled solutions using military resources.
  1. UCLA Hits Major Milestone in Campus Network Modernization
    The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) said on July 31 that it completed the core build and pilot phase of a major campus network modernization effort.
  2. Santa Fe Schools Pause State-Required Amira Reading Software Over Privacy Concerns
    Santa Fe Public Schools has paused use of New Mexico’s state-required Amira reading software amid concerns about student privacy, including the program’s recording of students’ voices and use of data to train its products.
  3. CISA, FBI Warn Gunra Ransomware Targets Critical Infrastructure
    Cyber agencies warn that Gunra ransomware affiliates are exploiting internet-facing vulnerabilities to steal and encrypt data across critical infrastructure sectors.
  4. New York Awards $9M to Strengthen Cybersecurity at 153 Water Systems
    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 3 more than $9 million in cybersecurity grants for 153 local government water and wastewater projects across the state, funding assessments and security upgrades aimed at protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
  5. Rep. Ro Khanna Introduces Data Center Bill of Rights
    The proposal would give communities greater say over AI data center development while targeting concerns about electricity costs and water use.
  6. UMD Named Lead Academic Partner for 2026 Quantum World Congress
    The University of Maryland (UMD) will serve as the lead academic partner for the 2026 Quantum World Congress as the event moves to College Park, Md., organizers announced on Aug. 3.
  7. Students From All 50 States Draft National K-12 AI Framework
    Students representing all 50 states developed a national framework for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use in K-12 public schools, proposing rules for academic work, student privacy, automated decisions, and human oversight.
  8. Utah AI Moonshot Program Offers $5M for AI Research
    A new statewide artificial intelligence (AI) research program will provide $5 million in competitive funding for projects intended to produce measurable public benefits for Utah.
  9. California Updates Cybersecurity Strategy for AI-Enabled Threats
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom released an updated statewide cybersecurity strategy on July 31 to help executive branch agencies address artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled attacks, modernize security tools, and protect essential public services.
  10. CDT Details Privacy, Security Risks of Government Data Consolidation
    A new CDT report warns that government data-sharing initiatives require stronger safeguards regardless of how information is consolidated.