New York Governor enacts moratorium on hyperscale data centers
A New York Post opinion piece criticizes "anti-data-center hysteria," focusing on a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers signed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The author refutes claims about data centers' excessive water and land use, citing statistics and highlighting economic benefits. Similar moratorium efforts are noted in several other states.
Columnist John R. Lott Jr. of the New York Post argues against what he terms "anti-data-center hysteria," comparing it to past environmental "con" movements like the opposition to fracking and climate change predictions. Lott specifically criticizes New York Governor Kathy Hochul's recent Executive Order, which enacts the nation's first moratorium on most new hyperscale data center construction in New York City, scheduled for July 14, 2026. Lott suggests this "pause" mirrors the beginning of New York's anti-fracking ban.
The article details similar legislative efforts underway or being considered in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, and Oklahoma, noting that the "save the farms" argument resonates in red states. Lott dismisses environmental concerns regarding data center water and land usage as "transparently wrong," providing statistics to argue that overall U.S. data center freshwater consumption in 2023 was only 0.2% of the national total, with only a small fraction directly used by the facilities themselves. He also highlights that Northern Virginia, particularly Loudoun County, hosts 13% of the world's data center capacity using under 3% of the county's land and generating nearly 40% of its general-fund revenue. Lott concludes by asserting that blocking data centers and the AI they power would result in a significant societal cost.