Lansing moves toward data center ban as TeraWulf debate reaches turning point
Lansing officials are moving toward drafting a local law that would prohibit data centers after extensive resident opposition to TeraWulf’s proposed Lake Hawkeye project at the former Milliken power plant. The Town Board has not enacted a ban, and TeraWulf is asking officials to continue reviewing its application amid concerns about electricity demand, water, noise, environmental impacts and economic development.
The Lansing Town Board directed town attorney Megan Doherty to prepare a draft local law prohibiting data centers, marking a shift away from another temporary moratorium or tighter regulations. Supervisor Ruth Groff and council members Joseph Wetmore and Lori Hemmings expressed support for reviewing a ban, while Councilmember Judy Drake remained concerned about lost economic development but also questioned the cost and enforceability of detailed regulations. Any prohibition would require additional public, planning and county review before a final vote.
The proposed action follows months of opposition to TeraWulf’s Lake Hawkeye data center proposal at the former Milliken power plant site. Residents cited electricity demand and rates, water quality, noise, light pollution, wildlife, Cayuga Lake, climate impacts and potential litigation. TeraWulf Vice President of Project Development Pace Rally urged the town to keep the existing review process open, saying the company had conducted additional technical work and was modifying the site plan. New York’s separate state-level moratorium on certain large data center permits, established under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Executive Order 62, also contributed to the town’s uncertainty but does not automatically halt Lansing’s local review.