East Fishkill to pass moratorium on data centers as developers float possibility of project in town
East Fishkill is preparing to enact a three-year moratorium on new data center projects in response to a proposal from Treetop Companies for a one-gigawatt AI data center. Local residents and officials have voiced concerns about the project's massive electricity and water demands, as current zoning laws do not permit standalone data centers. The moratorium aims to allow the town to revise its zoning regulations and await potential statewide restrictions.
The town of East Fishkill, New York, is moving to pass a three-year moratorium on new data center developments amid growing local concerns about a proposed one-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center by Treetop Companies. Town Supervisor Nicholas D'Alessandro indicated that the town board was likely to approve the moratorium during its Thursday evening meeting.
Treetop Companies has initiated a request with the New York Independent System Operator to assess the local power grid's capacity for such a large facility, which has sparked alarm among residents and environmental activists. Concerns primarily center on the substantial electricity and water consumption required for AI data centers. James Quinlin, a recent college graduate, highlighted the need for early opposition before any formal applications are submitted.
Supervisor D'Alessandro clarified that Treetop Companies has not yet filed a formal application or site plan, and current zoning laws in East Fishkill do not permit standalone data centers. He expressed skepticism about the future of large data centers in the Hudson Valley due to space constraints. The proposed moratorium would provide the town with time to update its zoning ordinances and anticipate potential statewide legislation that could further restrict data center projects. Despite the broad opposition to large-scale facilities, D'Alessandro suggested that smaller data center projects might still be considered in the future.