Interview: Town of Tonawanda Supervisor John Flynn discusses data center pause

The Town of Tonawanda, New York, officially passed a one-year temporary moratorium on the construction of large data centers. Town Supervisor John Flynn highlighted that this decision was met with popular opinion, with no one speaking against the pause at the town meeting. The moratorium aims to provide authorities with time to review and strengthen local zoning rules, a move that aligns with New York Governor Kathy Hochul's earlier consideration of a similar statewide pause.

Flynn noted that while there are always pros and cons, this pause offers a crucial opportunity to analyze all issues related to data center development before proceeding. Residents' primary concerns revolve around electricity usage, potential increases in utility bills, and water consumption, as well as broader environmental impacts. Additionally, a business concern exists regarding data center companies that operate for a few years, go bankrupt, and leave behind vacant buildings.

The Supervisor expressed confidence that the state will conduct a thorough analysis, providing valuable resources to address these complex issues. He also mentioned that the state's cooler climate makes it attractive to data centers, as it reduces cooling costs. However, Flynn stressed the importance for municipalities like Tonawanda to catch up with the ancillary consequences of data center presence, such as the need for robust tax regulations and community benefit agreements, rather than offering extensive tax breaks. He stated that the public is currently not in favor of data centers, and developers would need to convince them that guardrails can be put in place to make projects work.