New York State Passes Moratorium Bill; Genesee County Approves Data Center Project Amid Protests
New York State legislators passed a bill proposing a one-year moratorium on data center permitting, awaiting the Governor's signature. Simultaneously, the Genesee County Economic Development Center approved three resolutions for STREAM U.S. Data Centers' proposed 500-megawatt facility in the Town of Alabama, despite protests. The resolutions covered environmental reviews and power substation work, with an official stating the STAMP site can support the project's energy needs.
New York State legislators have passed a bill that proposes a one-year moratorium on the permitting of data centers statewide, a measure that will become law if signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The legislative action comes amidst ongoing debate about data center development and its impacts across the state.
Hours before the state legislature's vote, the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board convened and approved three resolutions related to the proposed $19.46 billion, 2.2-million-square-foot STREAM U.S. Data Centers' facility. This 500-megawatt project is planned for the Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in the Town of Alabama. The GCEDC meeting saw approximately 15 protesters holding signs and voicing concerns against the project.
The approved resolutions included a $5,000 payment to CC Environment & Planning and $750,000 to Philips Lytle for environmental and noise study reviews, with costs to be reimbursed by STREAM U.S. Additionally, the GCEDC agreed to transfer $1 million to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for substation review and design, and entered a $4.3 million contract with Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation (RG&E) for high-level engineering and construction requirements related to an existing RG&E substation.
GCEDC President/CEO Mark Masse addressed public comments regarding the data center's energy usage, STAMP’s power grid capacity, and potential increases in residential electric rates. A letter from Dennis Elsenbeck of Philips Lytle LLC, a former National Grid employee, stated that the STAMP site has the capacity for the 500-megawatt data center, citing a New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) determination of 600 megawatts total capacity. Elsenbeck also suggested the data center could positively impact consumer electric rates by contributing to fixed climate-related costs. Despite these assurances, protester Sandy Steele challenged Masse on potential financial gains for board members and disputed a past Town of Alabama vote.