Lawmakers react to passage of data center moratorium
The New York State Legislature passed a bill imposing a year-long moratorium on data center projects, awaiting Governor Hochul's signature. Senator Jeremy Zellner supports it for impact assessment, while Assemblyman Paul Bologna questions state overreach on local governments regarding such decisions.
The New York State Legislature has passed a bill imposing a year-long moratorium on the approval process for new large-scale data center projects statewide. The legislation, which awaits Governor Kathy Hochul's signature, aims to provide officials time to assess the potential impacts of these developments on the electrical grid, water systems, infrastructure, and communities. State Senator Jeremy Zellner, the bill's sponsor, spoke from outside the former Koch facility site in Tonawanda, advocating for the pause to allow for closer examination.
However, the bill faces scrutiny from Assemblyman Paul Bologna, who represents parts of Erie and Niagara counties. Speaking on the Assembly floor, Bologna questioned whether the legislation grants the state too much power, effectively superseding the authority of local governments to make such determinations for their own communities. Senator Zellner has been in contact with the Governor's staff, but it remains unclear whether Governor Hochul will sign the bill into law.