The debate about data centers as state leaders place moratorium
A developer's proposed $1 billion data center in Yaphank, New York, is facing significant opposition, leading to moratoriums imposed by both the Town of Brookhaven and Governor Kathy Hochul. The project, named the Brookhaven Digital Infrastructure Facility, is currently paused while a regulatory framework is being developed to address concerns about the environment, energy grid, and local communities.
WF Industrial, also known as Wildflower, is proposing to build a $1 billion, 549,000-square-foot data center on 71 acres in Yaphank, New York, with the project slated to be called the Brookhaven Digital Infrastructure Facility. This development, which Wildflower claims would create 1,000 construction jobs and full-time positions while generating millions in local school district tax revenue, is facing strong resistance.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on July 14, implementing a one-year pause on data center permits statewide. This unprecedented move aims to establish a robust regulatory framework to safeguard ratepayers, the environment, the energy grid, and local communities from potential impacts of such facilities. Separately, the Town of Brookhaven has also enacted a one-year moratorium on data centers, with the town board planning an 18-month moratorium specifically for the Wildflower project, which is expected to pass unanimously. The New York State Legislature passed a bill for a one-year moratorium on large data center permitting, awaiting the Governor's signature. The Long Island Progressive Coalition also opposes the project.
Opponents raise concerns about the substantial water and electricity consumption of data centers, as well as their visual impact. Wildflower's director of development, Michael Bowden, expressed the company's commitment to the project, stating that the proposed facility would have less environmental impact than previously approved warehouses for the site and would implement rainwater harvesting. Bowden argues that a moratorium is unnecessary, citing existing rigorous regulatory processes in New York. The project is projected to draw 176.6 megawatts from the Long Island Power Authority grid, which LIPA believes it can handle, while studies are ongoing and the developer plans a new substation.