Tompkins County Legislature Urges State to Deny Water Permit for Lansing Data Center

The Tompkins County Legislature has passed a resolution urging the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to reject a water withdrawal permit application from Cayuga Operating Company, an affiliate of data center developer TeraWulf Inc. The resolution cites concerns over the proposed data center's potential impact on utility rates, water quality, human health, and local wildlife. Legislators argue the existing permit, originally issued for a coal-fired power plant, is outdated and does not adequately address the new operational demands of a data center. The Town of Lansing, where the project is located, has already determined the data center is an allowed land use, but the county legislature is seeking to hold the "TeraWulf family of entities" accountable through the state permitting process.