Daily Digest — June 19, 2026
Lansing, NY Data Center Petition Draws Tens of Thousands of Signatures
A proposed AI data center by TeraWulf at a former coal plant site on the shores of Cayuga Lake in Lansing, New York, is facing organized opposition. According to The Ithaca Voice, a petition opposing the project has garnered over 20,000 signatures, including more than 17,000 from New York residents. The petition was delivered to the Lansing Town Board, which stated that no complete application from TeraWulf is currently before them.
Opponents have raised concerns about:
- Potential pollution from the site's history as a coal plant
- Water usage estimated at up to 700,000 gallons of lake water per day for cooling
- Installation of six diesel-powered backup generators
- Noise pollution and clearing of over 40 acres of forested land
- Strain on the electrical grid, with NYISO tracking seven pending large-load projects in Tompkins County
As reported by WSTM, advocacy groups including FLX Strong, Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now (CLEAN), Sustainable Finger Lakes, and No Data Center FLX are leading the opposition effort. CLEAN co-founder John Dennis has filed a lawsuit against TeraWulf and the Town Zoning Board of Appeals calling for a full environmental impact statement, according to Fingerlakes1.com.
The project's trajectory is further complicated by a one-year statewide moratorium on data center permitting recently passed by both houses of the New York State Legislature, now awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul's signature. TeraWulf executives have argued that New York already has robust environmental and zoning review processes. A larger public meeting is scheduled for June 25 in Ithaca.
Texas PUCT Approves ERCOT's "Batch Zero" Process for Large-Load Grid Connections
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has approved ERCOT's new "Batch Zero" process for managing grid interconnection requests from large energy consumers. According to KXAN Austin, the process targets entities consuming 75 megawatts or more — a threshold capable of powering roughly 50,000 homes — and will assess the cumulative impact of connection requests on grid reliability.
Key details of the process:
- User project classifications expected by August 2026
- Final transmission plan targeted for fall 2027
- 89% of the more than 438,000 MW of large-load requests tracked by ERCOT originate from data centers
The decision follows a June letter from Governor Greg Abbott to ERCOT and PUCT leadership urging oversight to prevent data center expansion from driving up residential electricity costs or infrastructure spending, as also reported by KVUE, WFAA, and the Odessa American. ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas described the process as a "significant shift" in managing large-load interconnections.
Public Utility Commission of Texas approves new process for big energy users
KXAN Austin
Texas greenlights ERCOT's new grid process for large electricity users like data centers
KVUE
Texas regulators approve new data center power process
WFAA
PUCT approves ERCOT’s Batch Zero process for connecting large electricity users while protecting system reliability
Odessa American
East Texas Residents Express Concerns Over Data Center Expansion
Residents of an East Texas community have described themselves as a "sacrificial lamb" amid expanding data center development in the region, according to KETK. Community members cite a perceived lack of information and regulatory oversight as sources of vulnerability.
Citrus County, FL Planning Commission Unanimously Recommends Denial of Data Center Rezoning
The Citrus County Planning and Development Commission unanimously recommended denying Deltona Corporation's rezoning application for the Holder Industrial Park expansion in Lecanto, Florida, according to the Citrus County Chronicle. The proposal sought to rezone nearly 800 acres of agricultural and low-density residential land for heavy industrial use, with plans for a data center consisting of four buildings.
The PDC cited the applicant's lack of detailed project information, the absence of a confirmed end user, and uncertain utility impacts. As reported by Bay News 9, residents raised concerns about:
- Water consumption and environmental protection
- Noise and vibrations
- Incompatibility with nearby residential areas
- Loss of Citrus County's "Nature Coast" character
The proposal predates the county's recently enacted 12-month moratorium on new data center applications, which is why the commission was obligated to consider it, as noted by Spectrum News. Attorney Clark Stillwell, representing Deltona Corporation, argued that resident concerns may be based on outdated information about data center technology.
The recommendation now advances to the Citrus County Commission, though the applicant has reportedly requested that review be tabled until November. The county is concurrently developing new data center regulations, according to a second Chronicle report.
Citrus County Planning Commission Recommends Denying Holder Industrial Park Data Center Rezoning
chronicleonline.com
Citrus County Planning Commission Recommends Denying Data Center Rezoning Application
chronicleonline.com
Talks continue over pre-moratorium Citrus County data center proposal
Spectrum News
Citrus County panel rejects Holder Industrial Park data center rezoning
Bay News 9
Urbana, OH City Council Reverses Zoning Amendment, Stalling $1B Data Center Project
The Urbana City Council unanimously voted on June 16 to reverse an April 2025 zoning amendment that had permitted data centers in the city's M-1 Light Manufacturing District, according to the Springfield News-Sun. The reversal effectively halts Thor Equities' planned $1 billion Urbana Technology Hub, a 460,000-square-foot data center campus south of State Route 55 and west of U.S. Route 68.
The decision follows resident opposition citing concerns about noise, water pollution, and the facility's proximity to a school, a long-term care facility, and the Cedar Bog Nature Preserve. The council had previously enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center development in March.
Thor Equities has stated it remains committed to exploring a path forward, citing potential tax revenue and long-term investment. Council members have suggested that a "conditional use" approach might be revisited after the moratorium committee completes its research on environmental and economic impacts.
