Governor Hochul And Representatives Ocasio-Cortez And Ryan Highlight New York’s Nation-Leading Moratorium On Hyperscale Data Center Construction
Gov. Kathy Hochul highlighted New York’s one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data center construction during a visit to East Fishkill in Dutchess County with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan. The pause is intended to address concerns about water use, energy costs, grid impacts, land use and environmental protections while the state develops new regulations.
Gov. Kathy Hochul joined U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan in East Fishkill, Dutchess County, to discuss the potential effects of hyperscale data center development with farmers, advocates and local businesses. Hochul’s executive order pauses discretionary state environmental permits for new hyperscale data centers for up to one year, creating time to establish protections for communities, ratepayers, natural resources and the electric grid.
Hochul also directed Empire State Development to create a Community Investment Framework and is pursuing the repeal of state sales-tax exemptions for massive data centers. The governor and lawmakers said the moratorium is necessary because proposed projects could increase pressure on water supplies, energy infrastructure, utility bills and farmland. Hochul separately highlighted New York’s Responsible AI Safety and Education Act, which will impose registration, transparency and incident-reporting requirements on large frontier AI developers.