Data center petition drive continues in Massena
A petition with over 412 signatures is being presented to the Massena Town Board, urging a three-year moratorium on data centers due to concerns about utility costs, environmental impact, and energy grid strain. This local effort follows Governor Hochul's statewide moratorium which does not apply to local approvals, and organizers are citing similar actions in other New York towns. Community organizers are encouraging a large turnout for an upcoming board meeting where the petition will be presented.
A petition drive is actively seeking a three-year moratorium on data centers in Massena, New York, with over 412 signatures collected, exceeding the initial goal. The petition, led by David Fenton, McKay Burley, and Suzanne Patnode, will be presented to the Massena Town Board at its upcoming monthly meeting.
Organizers highlight that while Governor Kathleen C. Hochul enacted a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers in July, that executive order does not supersede local approvals due to New York's "Home Rule." This has prompted residents to take local action to protect their energy grid and the St. Lawrence River. They point to the towns of Canton and East Fishkill, New York, which have already passed data center moratoriums, as precedents.
The core concerns raised by the petitioners revolve around the potential impact of data centers on utility bills and the environment. Citing a Bloomberg article, organizers noted that wholesale electricity costs rose significantly in areas near data centers, with these costs being passed on to consumers. They propose that a three-year pause would allow time to mandate that all new data centers be fully self-powered by renewables, preventing an "affordability crisis" and environmental harm. A large community turnout is encouraged for the Massena Town Hall meeting.