Onondaga County says $500K AI data center study is nearing completion
Onondaga County's $500,000 study on AI data centers is nearing completion, aiming to assess feasibility and environmental impacts within the county. This study proceeds despite a statewide moratorium on data center construction enacted by Governor Kathy Hochul, which supersedes local moratoriums in the Central New York region. The findings from the Onondaga County study are intended to guide local municipalities in their future data center planning efforts.
Onondaga County's $500,000 study on AI data centers is nearing completion, according to Troy Waffner, Director of the Department of Planning. Launched in June, the study evaluates the feasibility, infrastructure needs, and potential environmental and health impacts of data centers within Onondaga County. The Onondaga County Data Center Investment Task Force, comprising several county departments including Economic Development, Water & Environmental Protection, Water Authority, and Health, is reviewing three proposals received for the study.
County Executive Ryan McMahon highlighted that this task force is the first in New York State to conduct such a comprehensive study, intended to guide Central New York municipalities in future data center planning. This county-level initiative persists despite Governor Kathy Hochul's executive order on July 15, which enacted a one-year moratorium on data center construction across New York State.
The state moratorium, driven by community concerns over energy consumption, water usage, and noise, supersedes prior local moratoriums in towns like Manlius, Clay, and Lysander. Waffner indicated the Onondaga County study is expected to conclude around September 30, with its findings intended to inform future development decisions.