Wawarsing mulls moratorium on data centers and battery storage facilities
Wawarsing officials are considering a six-month moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage systems, spurred by an inquiry from an unnamed company about building an AI data center. The moratorium is intended to allow time for the town to assess land use, zoning, public safety, environmental, and fiscal concerns. Town Supervisor Joseph Stoeckeler expects the board to enact the moratorium at an upcoming meeting.
The town of Wawarsing, N.Y., is considering implementing a six-month moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage systems. This action was prompted by a letter from an unnamed company expressing interest in establishing an AI data center on a parcel of land along the West Branch Beer Kill.
Town Supervisor Joseph Stoeckeler indicated that he does not view the inquiry as a serious proposal, noting that the land in question, a former town park, is considered "unbuildable." However, the inquiry highlighted the need for the town to proactively address potential impacts of such developments on safety, environment, and finances.
Stoeckeler stated his expectation that the town board members will enact the moratorium at their meeting on Thursday, June 4. The moratorium aims to provide officials with sufficient time to thoroughly review land use, zoning regulations, public safety concerns, environmental impacts, and fiscal implications associated with data centers and battery storage facilities.
While this is the first known data center inquiry in Ulster County, the article notes several proposals for battery energy storage systems are already active within the county, including projects by Tera-Gen, BayWa, and Key Capture Energy in different towns.