Massena Town Board clears way for controversial data center

The Massena Town Board rejected a proposed six-month moratorium on data center development, voting 3-2 against the measure. This decision clears the way for North Country Collocation Services (NCCS) to potentially build a 1.5 million-square-foot, 635-megawatt data center near the St. Lawrence River, a project projected to consume power equivalent to 70% of the Moses-Saunders Dam's output.

The vote followed over an hour of public comments at a crowded town meeting, revealing sharp divisions among residents. Opponents, including Mohawks United in Safety and Health and Akwesasne resident Marina Johnson Zafiris, expressed concerns about potential spikes in electricity rates, excessive water consumption, and the long-term social and environmental risks of hyperscale data centers. Zafiris advocated for at least a three-year moratorium to allow for comprehensive research, citing past industrial pollution in her community.

Conversely, supporters, like Massena Fire Department Chief Tom Millar and labor union member Travis Flint of IBW Local 910 Electrical Workers, emphasized the need for economic revitalization and job creation in Massena, a town that has experienced two decades of industrial decline. They voiced confidence in NCCS's commitment to local hiring.

Despite the Town Board's decision, New York State has an existing one-year moratorium on data centers, which critics had hoped the local restriction would supplement as a safety net. The statewide moratorium aims to provide agencies time to assess the impact of data centers on the electric grid, consumer costs, and the environment.