Ulster officials, activists speak against AI data centers

A coalition of environmentalists, activists, and political leaders, led by Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, held a rally in the Town of Ulster, New York, to voice strong opposition to energy-intensive artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The event, part of an "Energy Hog" bus tour, saw participants from the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), students, physicians, and community groups, despite no specific AI data center proposals currently planned for Ulster County. They urged Governor Kathy Hochul and state leaders to uphold New York's climate law and implement measures to curb the expansion of AI data centers and cryptomining facilities, citing concerns over rising utility costs, environmental degradation, and the climate crisis. Speakers, including NYPIRG's senior environmental program coordinator Eric Wood and Dr. Kathleen Nolan of Physicians for Social Responsibility, highlighted that AI data centers strain energy grids, increase utility prices, contribute to pollution, and exacerbate climate change. They criticized Governor Hochul for potentially weakening New York’s Climate Law, accusing her of prioritizing corporate interests. County Executive Metzger specifically called on the state legislature to pass a proposed bill that would establish a moratorium on new data center permits until adequate regulatory safeguards are in place, emphasizing a preference for economic development that aligns with affordability and climate protection goals for Ulster County. The rally also addressed Governor Hochul's controversial proposal to amend New York's climate law through the budget process, a move that advocates argue could exacerbate climate and affordability challenges. Melissa Hoffmann of Food & Water Watch pointed to existing data centers in Orangeburg and Poughkeepsie as examples of the problem within the Hudson Valley, calling for leaders to resist "Big Tech and the fossil fuel industry" and halt further data center and fossil fuel infrastructure development. The event underscores the ongoing tension in New York between supporting new technologies and protecting environmental and economic stability.