Council member calls for 2-year data center moratorium for the city of Buffalo
Buffalo Council member Joseph Golombek is proposing a two-year moratorium on new data centers and cryptocurrency facilities to reevaluate the city's zoning laws and ensure citizens are not negatively impacted, despite potential tax revenue benefits.
North District Council member Joseph Golombek is set to introduce a resolution at an upcoming Buffalo Common Council meeting calling for a two-year moratorium on new data centers and cryptocurrency facilities within the city. This proposed halt would extend beyond the existing state moratorium on data centers by an additional year.
Golombek stated that the primary objective of the moratorium is to enable the city to reevaluate its current zoning laws. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that Buffalo's regular citizens are not negatively impacted by data center development, despite the potential for significant tax revenue that such facilities could generate.
While stressing that he is not fundamentally opposed to data centers, Golombek believes it is crucial for the city to "pump the brakes" and carefully consider its regulatory framework. He is also advocating for the formation of a special subcommittee dedicated to examining the issue of data center development.