New York Senate 54th District candidates discuss data center moratorium
Candidates for New York’s 54th Senate District, which includes Ontario and Wayne counties, described their positions on data centers. Pam Helming said she supported a one-year legislative moratorium, while Michael Mills proposed requiring local consent, closed-loop water systems and developer-funded infrastructure for future projects.
New York state Sen. Pam Helming and Democratic challenger Michael Mills, a former Canandaigua City Council member, addressed data center development in a Finger Lakes Times election questionnaire. Helming said residents should not be forced to accept large data centers and argued that limited electricity capacity should prioritize homes, hospitals, farms, manufacturers and existing businesses. She said she supported the Legislature’s one-year data center moratorium and criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul for acting unilaterally through an executive order.
Mills said the Finger Lakes region should not become the default location for data centers and other energy-intensive infrastructure. He proposed a Community Stewardship Standard requiring local participation in hosting decisions, renewable energy, closed-loop water systems funded by developers, public disclosure of financial and environmental obligations, and no state or local incentives for such projects.