East Fishkill passes 3-year data center freeze
The East Fishkill Town Board in New York unanimously enacted a three-year moratorium on data centers over 20 megawatts, following strong public opposition to a proposed large data center by Treetop Development. Residents voiced concerns over electricity costs and potential water pollution. The decision extends beyond a potential state moratorium awaiting the governor's signature.
The East Fishkill Town Board in New York has unanimously voted to adopt a three-year moratorium on new data centers exceeding 20 megawatts, effective until July 2029. This decision comes after significant public outcry against a proposed data center by Treetop Development, which was slated to be ten times larger than New York's current largest facility. While the Treetop proposal no longer appears on the state's interconnection queue, local residents and advocacy groups like For The Many and Food and Water Watch urged the board to act, citing concerns over water consumption, potential pollution, and rising electricity costs.
Town Supervisor Nick D'Alessandro noted that no formal proposal for the 1 Gig Treetop Development data center had been submitted to the town, directing residents to take their concerns to Governor Kathy Hochul regarding a potential statewide moratorium. However, residents, including Chris Frolick, expressed clear opposition to any such development. The resolution also references other proposed data centers in East Fishkill, including a 150-megawatt project by iPark East Fishkill LLC and an 800-megawatt facility by East Fishkill Storage 1, LLC.
East Fishkill is the first county in the Hudson Valley to pass such a moratorium, although other municipalities in New York, like Oneonta, Allegany, and Dryden, have also taken similar actions, with some even enacting permanent bans. Councilmember Marianne Flores emphasized that the local moratorium is not permanent and aims to create an opportunity for a task force, comprising planning, zoning, utility, environmental, and community experts, to develop a transparent approach for future data center proposals.