New Yorker state lawmakers have introduced a bill that will impose a moratorium of at the least three years on permits tied to the development and operation of latest knowledge facilities. Whereas the invoice’s prospects are unsure, Wired reports that New York is at the least the sixth state to contemplate pausing development of latest knowledge facilities.
As tech firms plan to spend ever-increasing quantities of cash to construct AI infrastructure, each Democrats and Republicans have expressed issues in regards to the affect these knowledge facilities might need on surrounding communities. Research have additionally linked knowledge facilities to increased home electricity bills.
Critics embody progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, who has called for a national moratorium, in addition to conservative Florida Governor Ron De Santis, who said data centers will lead to “increased power payments simply so some chatbot can corrupt some 13 12 months previous child on-line.”
Greater than 230 environmental teams together with Meals & Water Watch, Associates of the Earth, and Greenpeace not too long ago signed an open letter to Congress calling for a nationwide moratorium on the development of latest knowledge facilities.
Eric Weltman of Meals & Water Watch instructed Wired that the New York invoice — sponsored by state senator Liz Krueger and assemblymember Anna Kelles, each Democrats — was “our thought.” Knowledge middle pauses have additionally been proposed by Democrats in Georgia, Vermont, and Virginia, whereas Republicans sponsored related payments in Maryland and Oklahoma.
According to Politico, Krueger described her state as “fully unprepared” for the “large knowledge facilities” which can be “gunning for New York.”
“It’s time to hit the pause button, give ourselves some respiratory room to undertake sturdy insurance policies on knowledge facilities, and keep away from getting caught in a bubble that can burst and go away New York utility clients footing an enormous invoice,” she mentioned.
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June 23, 2026
Final month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new initiative known as Energize NY Growth, which her workplace mentioned would each modernize the best way giant power customers (i.e., knowledge facilities) would hook up with the grid whereas additionally requiring them to “pay their justifiable share.”
