Lawmakers, environmentalists rally in Lansing for data center oversight bill
Lawmakers and environmental activists rallied in Lansing, New York, to urge Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Responsible Data Center Development Act, a bill imposing stricter regulations and a one-year moratorium on new data centers statewide. They argue Hochul's existing executive order is insufficient, while a proposed TeraWulf data center at a former power plant faces significant local opposition. The bill aims to protect ratepayers, the power grid, and the environment from the impacts of large-scale data center development.
Elected officials and environmental activists gathered at the Salt Point Natural Area in Lansing, New York, on August 28, to pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Responsible Data Center Development Act. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, the bill's sponsor, organized the event as part of a statewide "Stop Data Centers" tour, advocating for the proposed legislation that seeks to implement stricter oversight on data center facilities across New York.
The proposed bill would enact a one-year moratorium on Department of Environmental Conservation permits for new data centers, allowing for a comprehensive study on their environmental, economic, and infrastructure impacts. It also mandates public hearings for future permits, establishes dedicated utility rate classes for data centers to ensure they cover their energy and water costs, sets renewable energy standards, and creates a community benefits program. This legislation is viewed by proponents as a more robust solution compared to Gov. Hochul's existing July 14 executive order, which also imposed a one-year moratorium on permits but for a narrower scope of hyperscale data centers (50 megawatts or larger).
Locally, the bitcoin mining-turned-AI data center company TeraWulf is proposing a 300-megawatt AI data center at the former Cayuga Power Plant. This project has spurred significant local opposition, with the coalition No Data Center FLX delivering a petition with nearly 21,000 signatures to the Lansing Town Board. Lawmakers, including State Sens. Gonzalez and Lea Webb, emphasized the need for statewide action to address concerns over energy costs, water consumption, noise pollution, and potential environmental damage, citing issues experienced in other states.
Tompkins County Legislator Irene Weiser highlighted that small towns lack the resources to combat multi-billion dollar corporations alone, asserting that New York's role is to protect its residents and resources rather than accommodate unlimited data center growth. The bill has passed both legislative chambers and now awaits the Governor's signature, with advocates urging immediate action to prevent corporations from exploiting regulatory loopholes.