New York data center moratorium bill awaits governor's signature
Newsday's editorial board calls for New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the bipartisan Responsible Data Center Development Act into law, implementing a one-year moratorium on new data centers. The article argues a pause is necessary to responsibly manage approvals and assess the impact on the state's power grid and water resources, particularly on Long Island.
Newsday's editorial board urges New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the bipartisan Responsible Data Center Development Act, which would enact a one-year moratorium on new data center construction across the state. The article highlights the rapid growth of data centers driven by AI and the immense energy and water demands they place on infrastructure.
The editorial emphasizes that New York's power grid and sensitive environments, such as Long Island's sole-source aquifer, are ill-equipped to support hyperscale data centers requiring hundreds of megawatts of energy and significant water for cooling. While acknowledging that business groups and developers oppose a blanket moratorium as a hindrance to growth, the board argues a statewide pause is crucial to assess the full environmental and utility impacts, noting that localized moratoriums like one proposed in Brookhaven are insufficient.
The proposed 12-month moratorium aims to provide state lawmakers with time to develop comprehensive public safety requirements and manage data center approvals responsibly, balancing economic development with the protection of homeowners and the environment.