New York lawmakers are racing to approve a first-in-the-nation statewide pause on new large-scale data centers, though the measure could face resistance from Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY), who has suggested decisions about data center development are better left to local governments.The legislation, introduced Monday by Democratic state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Democratic Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, would impose a one-year moratorium on the approval of new large-scale data centers while state regulators study their environmental and energy impacts. The bill is expected to receive a vote in the state Senate this week before lawmakers adjourn, according to Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has also indicated the measure will pass that chamber.If signed into law, the proposal would mark the nation’s first statewide moratorium targeting the rapid expansion of data centers driven by growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure.
“The one-year moratorium gives us the time and space to properly promulgate rules and plan for what our energy future can look like, where we are not only protecting our energy grid, but we’re protecting our utility rates,” Gonzalez said.
