Plattsburgh Common Council considering temporary moratorium on “certain high energy use facilities”
The Plattsburgh Common Council is holding a public hearing and preparing to vote on a temporary moratorium covering high-energy-use facilities, including large-scale data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations and blockchain facilities. The pause would allow the city to review zoning and land-use rules addressing infrastructure demands, noise, cooling systems and other impacts.
The Plattsburgh Common Council will hold a public hearing before voting on a proposed temporary moratorium for high-energy-use facilities. The measure would apply to uses including large-scale data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, blockchain validation facilities and other high-energy computing operations.
The proposed moratorium follows a broader land-use law adopted unanimously by the council in June. City officials are reviewing whether existing zoning rules should be updated to address facility siting and expansion, infrastructure demands, noise, cooling systems, emergency response, decommissioning and compatibility with surrounding land uses. The proposal was referred to the county planning board and has returned to the council for consideration.