Advocates rallying against data centers
Advocates rallied outside the Empire State Plaza in Albany, urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to slow data center development and broaden the public review process. They said the state's one-year pause and Public Service Commission scoping plan do not adequately address electricity demand, water use, utility costs, noise and environmental impacts.
Organizational leaders and residents gathered outside the Empire State Plaza in Albany to oppose what they described as a rushed expansion of artificial-intelligence data centers. They called for a comprehensive review process with public hearings, longer comment periods and participation from additional state agencies.
Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order in the summer pausing new data center development for one year. The New York Public Service Commission has since released a scoping document covering construction, operations and environmental issues, but advocates said it is too narrow and does not sufficiently address rising utility bills, energy and water demand, or noise.
The report also highlighted a proposed four-acre data center at a former school and convent in Albany. Resident and sustainable artist Alessandra Payne said the site would be roughly 500 feet from her business, while supporters of data centers said the facilities are important to the digital economy.