New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign an executive order on Tuesday halting all new data-center construction in the state for up to a year, making New York the first state to enact such a moratorium amid growing public backlash against AI infrastructure, environmental concerns and fears about their impact on utility prices.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul will sign an executive order putting a year-long moratorium on large new data center buildouts in the state.
Citing the governor’s office, several outlets reported that the ban will target large data centers that require more than 50 megawatts of power to operate—including those still awaiting a permit.
The pause is intended to allow the state to develop new environmental regulations for such data centers and examine their impact on the power grid among other things.
The ban will go into effect immediately, but will exclude hospitals, universities and other smaller data centers.
