East Fishkill Town Board Approves Three-Year Data Center Moratorium
East Fishkill's Town Board approved a three-year moratorium on data centers until July 1, 2029, following resident concerns about energy, water, and noise. The decision came after Treetop Companies initiated a grid impact study for a proposed AI data center in the town. This local action aligns with a broader trend of moratoriums nationwide and a proposed state-level moratorium awaiting the governor's signature.
Debra Pagano, an East Fishkill resident, expressed concerns about a proposed 1-gigawatt AI data center after consulting her son in Texas, a state with numerous data centers. Her sentiments echoed those of other residents during a public hearing on June 25, where emotions ranged from concern to fear regarding the facilities' potential impacts.
Responding to community feedback, the East Fishkill Town Board approved a three-year moratorium on data centers, effective until July 1, 2029. This ban prohibits permitting or consideration of new data centers until federal and state studies on their power, water usage, noise, and heat emissions are completed. An exception exists for projects under 20 megawatts or those ancillary to existing uses. The decision follows Treetop Companies' request for the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) to study the impact of an AI-processing and cloud-computing center on its property, affecting the ConEd, Central Hudson, and NYSEG grids.
East Fishkill Supervisor Nick D'Alessandro emphasized that Treetop Companies had not submitted a formal application but noted the importance of public input and professional review for "significant use" projects like data centers. He stated the moratorium provides "time to study the infrastructure impacts and the environmental impacts" and "hear from the experts." This local action contributes to a national trend, with over 100 active moratoriums nationwide, driven by economic and environmental concerns such as electricity rates, water consumption, noise, and traffic. New York's Legislature also passed a one-year moratorium, which awaits Governor Kathy Hochul's signature.