Canton data center committee gathering information after town enacted moratorium
Canton's new Data Center Committee is gathering information on data center development and potential local regulations, following the town's enactment of a moratorium. The committee's work involves researching how other municipalities have addressed data centers, with the goal of developing local rules. This effort comes after significant public input on the issue.
Canton, New York, has formed a new Data Center Committee to research and address potential data center projects, following the town's enactment of a data center development moratorium on July 8. Committee Chairman Randy Brown is leading the information-gathering effort, compiling resources from other communities, including the Town of Dryden, to guide future local regulations.
The committee, comprising Town Councilors Brown and Greg Kiah, was established in response to significant public input regarding data centers. Their mandate includes studying how other municipalities manage data centers and identifying necessary local rules. This local initiative comes amidst broader discussions in St. Lawrence County, with other communities like Massena and Potsdam also considering data center development, though county legislators affirmed that such actions are ultimately municipal responsibilities.
While New York State previously passed a statewide data center moratorium through the Assembly and Senate that Governor Kathy Hochul did not sign, she has implemented a separate moratorium via executive order. Canton Town Supervisor Jim Smith emphasized the need for the committee to gather extensive information from other towns before deciding on a local approach, potentially leading to regulations similar to those for solar development. The committee's current focus is on building a comprehensive information base for its members.