Henrietta seeks public input on data center zoning as statewide moratorium begins
Henrietta town leaders are seeking public input on a proposed local law to regulate data center placement, following New York Governor Hochul's statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. The one-year pause aims to allow municipalities to establish their own guidelines. Community members have expressed concerns about the power grid strain and environmental impact, including noise and pollution.
Town leaders in Henrietta, New York, are currently inviting community members to provide feedback on a proposed local law that would regulate where data centers can be built within the municipality. This local initiative comes in the wake of Governor Kathy Hochul's executive order, which has imposed the country's first statewide one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers.
The statewide pause is intended to provide towns and municipalities with an opportunity to assess the implications of data center development and establish their own specific guidelines and conditions. Henrietta town supervisor Stephen Schultz noted that a realtor had considered the town for potential data center real estate sites last year. During the public input session, community members raised concerns about the already-strained power grid and potential environmental impacts, including "infra noise" and pollution, advocating for strong local protections. The town's lawyer indicated that while a municipality cannot entirely prohibit a specific land use, Henrietta leaders are exploring protections that could impose higher standards on data centers than those mandated by state law.