Contentious Niagara Falls City Council meeting leads to approval of new data center
The Niagara Falls City Council approved plans for a new data center campus by Niagara Falls Redevelopment, despite community backlash. The approval settled litigation related to eminent domain proceedings. Meanwhile, the New York state Legislature is considering a bill that includes a proposed one-year moratorium on data center construction.
The Niagara Falls City Council held a contentious meeting on Wednesday, ultimately approving plans for a new data center campus proposed by Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR). This decision came amidst significant backlash from some community members who raised concerns about environmental impacts, including water contamination, potential health risks, and impacts on wildlife.
The approval also resolved litigation stemming from eminent domain proceedings involving a parcel of land on Falls Street, near the Seneca Niagara Casino. As part of the agreement, NFR will proceed with its $1.5 billion digital campus and donate a portion of its land for the city's $1 million Centennial Park proposal, with the city reimbursing NFR $4 million for that land. A timeline for the project's commencement has not yet been established.
Concurrently, the New York state Legislature is deliberating the Responsible Data Center Development Act. This updated bill, a revised version of a prior proposal, suggests shortening a potential moratorium on new data center construction from three years to one year. It also encompasses several pieces of legislation aimed at regulating data center development across New York.